Carragher U-turn unlikely - Murphy

Danny Murphy believes former Liverpool team-mate Jamie Carragher will stick to his guns and keep himself out of the international reckoning despite England manager Steve McClaren's attempts to persuade him to return.

McClaren, who is short of defenders as John Terry, Ledley King are definitely out for the friendly against Germany on August 22 and Jonathan Woodgate highly doubtful, is weighing up a recall for Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell but also wants Liverpool defender Carragher to come back.

Carragher quit the national team because he felt he was being overlooked by McClaren and Murphy told talkSPORT: "I'd be surprised to be honest. I've spoken to him a couple of times recently. I'm personally in agreement with what he's done for lots of different reasons, mostly the one's he's given."

He added: "In terms of now, is he going to be used because there's a crisis or an emergency? I think as a player it would maybe make him feel, or would make me feel if I was in that situation, a bit like, 'Oh, you need me because there's nobody else'.

"Also, if he does go back in and he doesn't play to his normal consistent level, he's leaving himself in for a hell of a battering from people. It's a very difficult one, I feel for him.

"I think what he's wanted to do is make himself available because he's an honest lad and a good pro who doesn't want to be in a position where he's saying, 'I won't play for England'.

"But he's also putting himself in a hell of a position if he does go back and play because there's going to be a lot of people who want to get on his back if he doesn't do as well as he normally does.

"I spoke to him on Monday, or the day before, and I think he was due to have a conversation with Steve McClaren so it will be interesting to see what he does.

"I think there is one thing for sure with Jamie, whether he plays full-back, centre-half, anywhere else, if he puts on that England shirt, forget what's been said in the past, you know what you're getting from Jamie.

"If you had four Jamie Carraghers in your back four you wouldn't lose too many games, I can assure you of that much."