Warnock: Surprised by call-up
Blackburn star Stephen Warnock admits he was shocked to win a call-up to the England squad.
The left-back has been called up by Fabio Capello for the friendlies with USA and Trinidad and Tobago later this month.
Warnock believes that the call-up proves he was right to leave Liverpool for Ewood Park.
"I'm more shocked than anything," Warnock told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.
"It's a bit of a surprise because I wasn't expecting it. I'd booked holidays fully expecting to have a bit of a break.
"I actually got a phone call from Bents [David Bentley] on the way home from Birmingham saying cancel your holidays you're going away with the England squad'. So that was the first I heard of it.
"I knew that if I came to Blackburn and played week-in, week-out, I'd give myself a chance. That's turned out to be the right decision.
"I must be doing something right, but I just hope it's enough to earn a start and try to show him [Capello] what I can do."
The England Under 21 international has been struggling with the problem since December and now the season is over the club have decided to send him under the knife.
Rovers boss Mark Hughes paid tribute to the striker for playing through the pain barrier.
"He has struggled since Christmas because of a problem with his hernia," said Hughes "He is in for an operation now and he has done well to keep going to be fair to him.
"We have kept patching him up and throwing him out there and he's done well."

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| Wednesday 2nd December | |
| Carling Cup | |
| 20:00 | Blackburn vs Chelsea |
| Saturday 5th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Liverpool |
| Saturday 12th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Blackburn |
| Tuesday 15th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Birmingham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 19th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Tottenham |
| Saturday 26th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Blackburn |
| Monday 28th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Sunderland |
| Monday 11th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man City vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 16th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Fulham |
| Wednesday 27th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Blackburn vs Wigan |
| Saturday 30th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Blackburn |
| Wednesday 10th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Blackburn vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Tuesday 27th October | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Blackburn 5 - 2 Peterborough | |
| Saturday 24th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Chelsea 5 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunday 18th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 3 - 2 Burnley | |
| Sunday 4th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Arsenal 6 - 2 Blackburn | |
| Saturday 26th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Tuesday 22nd September | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Nottm Forest 0 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Sunday 20th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Everton 3 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Saturday 12th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Wolverhampton | |
| Saturday 29th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 0 - 0 West Ham | |
| Tuesday 25th August | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Gillingham 1 - 3 Blackburn | |
| Saturday 22nd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 2 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Saturday 15th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 0 - 2 Man City | |
| Wednesday 5th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Blackburn 0 - 0 Hibernian | |
| Saturday 1st August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Sheff Wed 2 - 2 Blackburn | |
| Saturday 25th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Leeds 1 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Tuesday 14th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Cambridge Utd 0 - 4 Blackburn | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Everton | 11 | 15 |
| 13 | Wigan Athletic | 12 | 14 |
| 14 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | 13 |
| 15 | Birmingham City | 11 | 11 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 11 | 11 |
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