Robinson should be in Fabio's 30, says Allardyce

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Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce believes goalkeeper Paul Robinson's absence from England's World Cup squad can only be down to personal issues on the part of Fabio Capello.

Robinson was overlooked in favour of Portsmouth veteran David James, Joe Hart - who has excelled while on loan from Manchester City to Birmingham - and West Ham's Robert Green in the initial 30-man party from which Capello will choose his 23 for this summer's tournament in South Africa.

Allardyce has reacted angrily to the snub, feeling the East Yorkshire-born shot-stopper's form and experience more than warranted a place on the plane and accusing Capello of holding a grudge against the 30-year-old.

"I am staggered, totally. It is completely the wrong decision," he told the Lancashire Telegraph. "If you look at his form for Rovers, there has not been a better goalkeeper who has been so consistent.

"Fabio has always said the people in form would get selected. There is nobody better than Paul Robinson at the moment, so there must be something before that that has happened to put him off him, as a person and not as a goalkeeper.

"He has made the biggest mistake of his selection process, has Fabio. As much as I respect him for what he has done that is one big, big mistake.

"Thirteen clean sheets speak for themselves. There have to be other reasons why he hasn't selected him because there is nobody in better form than Paul Robinson.

"Perhaps 'Harty' can run him close but he hasn't got 40-odd England caps of experience and hasn't played in any major championships before so it would be much more valuable having Paul Robinson there than it would be to have Joe Hart - never mind the David James scenario, who is spasmodically in and out because it seems he has a bit of an injury problem."