Stoke manager Mark Hughes admits Ryan Shawcross stands little chance of making the England squad for next year's European Championship.
Roy Hodgson has not picked Shawcross since he gave him his one and only cap against Sweden three years ago. England were winning 2-1 when the Stoke centre-half came off the bench with 15 minutes to go, but ended up losing 4-2 thanks to a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic hat-trick.
Despite that poor showing in Stockholm, there have been calls for Shawcross to be given another chance with England after an excellent run of form for the Potters.
Stoke have not conceded in the league since Shawcross returned from a back injury four weeks ago and the 28-year-old admirably coped with the threat of an aggressive and provocative Diego Costa in Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium recently.
Hodgson has stuck with regulars Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, John Stones, Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill instead, however, and Hughes thinks that is likely to be the case when the former Fulham boss selects his squad for Euro 2016.
"Ryan is coming back from a long-term injury and credit to him, he has come back at a level we didn't anticipate he would be capable of," the Stoke manager said.
"I know he still has ambitions to be part of an England squad, but Roy no doubt feels loyalty to the players who have helped him achieve qualification so Ryan may have to wait for circumstances to change and things to fall into place that allows him an opportunity. His way to the team at the moment seems blocked.
"At this late stage, just prior to a major championship, I wouldn't suspect there would be too many surprises (in Hodgson's squad)."
German centre-back Philipp Wollscheid proved to be a more than an able deputy in Shawcross' absence.
The former Bayer Leverkusen defender has played a pivotal part in Stoke's recent run of one defeat in 10 matches, but Hughes says he may miss Saturday's trip to Sunderland.
"He is a little bit sore in his pelvis area and we are just trying to settled it down," the Welshman said at a press conference on Thursday.
"He didn't train today but we are hopeful that tomorrow he will be OK."
Source: PA
