Gary Neville has left the door open for Fabio Capello to give him a World Cup call.
Neville won the last of his 85 caps against Spain three years ago and has only figured in one Capello squad - the double-header against Kazakhstan and Andorra last June. However, with Manchester United team-mate Wes Brown ruled out for six weeks after breaking his foot at Wolves on Saturday, and Liverpool's Glen Johnson only just back from long-term injury himself, suddenly Neville is being talked about as a possible for Capello's 23-man squad in South Africa this summer.
"England is out of my hands," said Neville. "It has not happened for two to three years and I am not holding out for a call but I have not retired. I always said I never would. I am playing for United and would play for my country."
Just to even be mentioned says much about Neville's fortitude.
It is three years since he suffered a broken ankle in a tackle with Gary Speed at Old Trafford that proved to be the catalyst for a succession of muscular problems.
Even though he has made far more frequent appearances this season, Neville has still only played in 48 games during the intervening period, missing out on, amongst other things, two European Cup finals and the 2007 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea.
There must have been times when Neville thought about abandoning the uphill struggle.
Yet, to his immense credit, the Bury-born star has continued to fight.
"Gary is a great player and a remarkable man," said Sir Alex Ferguson.
"When you are out of the game for 18 months it is never going to be an easy road back to playing every week. Not at 35. He succeeds because he has the will. That is what Gary Neville is about."
