Four Tottenham Hotspur players have been called up by England National Team Manager Roy Hodgson for the team's upcoming friendly away against Italy in Switzerland on Tuesday night. Established internationals Jermain Defoe and Kyle Walker will be joined by the uncapped pair of midfielder Jake Livermore and central defender Steven Caulker.
The news is a major badge of accomplishment for the Spurs Academy, as Livermore and Caulker are homegrown players. The pair mark the first Tottenham players and academy products to play for the English National Team since Ledley King received his first cap a decade ago. The call-ups seem to indicate that Spurs players are very much in Hodgson's mindset ahead of World Cup Qualifying, which begins in September.
However, the news may not be so good for Tottenham Hotspur Manager Andre Villas-Boas, whose side is unsettled and struggled in their final pre-season warm-up against Valencia last night. Caulker's call-up further delays his blooding in with the Tottenham first team, and an injury to any of Defoe, Walker, or Livermore would leave Spurs dangerously shallow in depth ahead of next Saturday's season opener against Newcastle.