Lou Macari urges Ryan Shawcross to pick Wales

Former Stoke City manager Lou Macari believes that Ryan Shawcross should give up hope of representing England and play for Wales.

Twenty-seven-year-old Shawcross appeared for the Three Lions in a friendly encounter against Sweden back in 2012, but since then he has continually been overlooked by manager Roy Hodgson.

Following his latest omission, Macari has encouraged the centre-back to switch his allegiance to Wales - the country where he was raised as a child.

"Ryan Shawcross for Wales! That's my advice to both Ryan and the Welsh national team. They could certainly do with a defender of his quality and experience, while Ryan could do with an international team that values him more than England," he wrote in The Sentinel.

"There's only so many knocks you can take, and I'd have thought the latest might be close to the last straw for Ryan. don't need to go into the CV that Shawcross can offer, but I will say I'm surprised he can't get a look in after England's poor showing at the World Cup.

"It's not as if John Terry and Rio Ferdinand are still playing at their peak in the heart of England's defence. Nowadays there are no outstanding candidates for those two slots - and I include Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka when I say that - so it amazes me Roy Hodgson hasn't turned to someone like Shawcross."

Shawcross has previously turned out Wales at youth level.