FABIO CAPELLO has been urged to consider a surprise recall to the England team for Kieran Richardson before finalising his squad for next week’s friendly with Germany in Berlin.

Richardson has, arguably, been Sunderland’s best performer this season, with his drive from midfield ‘pleasantly surprising’ manager Roy Keane, who has labelled him as his ‘future captain’.

Keane always believed the 24-year-old would return to the sort of form that convinced him to pay £5.5m to Manchester United 16 months ago, but has been impressed by just how quickly the player has achieved it.

Richardson’s first season on Wearside was disappointing.

A fracture to his spine and a series of niggling injuries restricted him to just 17 Premier League appearances last season, meaning whenever he did figure he struggled to reach his peak.

But, having emerged as one of Sunderland’s leading lights this season by scoring two and providing creativity, Keane feels Capello should consider handing him his first England cap since appearing in the draw with Holland almost two years ago.

“He has come back after the summer and his attitude has been spot on. His performance on Saturday was outstanding,”

said Keane. “Kieran is climbing back to the level he was at three or four years ago.

“Can he get back in the England team? Absolutely, 100 per cent, there is no doubt in my mind that he can do that. Over the last few months, I wouldn’t say I was shocked, but I have been absolutely delighted with him, he has been brilliant.

“Kieran has a great chance of being a future captain for me. His whole attitude around the place, in the canteen, the attitude to the staff, is spot on. He will get his rewards one way or the other.”

Richardson has eight caps for England and Keane feels a ninth in Berlin a week today would be just reward for his start to the campaign.

The forward-thinking midfielder was expected to become an integral part of the England squad after he scored two on his international debut against the United States in May 2005.

If he was to be recalled, it would be in stark contrast to Sunderland team-mate Andy Reid, whose international career appears to be hanging by a thread.

The 26-year-old has 27 caps for the Republic of Ireland but he is yet to play under Geovani Trapattoni. Keane, however, has told the player to view his absence as a challenge.

While Reid’s non-selection for the friendly with Poland later this month has caused controversy in his homeland, Keane can’t see the problem.

“Why are people bemused?”

said Keane, who recalled Reid against Portsmouth on Saturday and he could also figure against Blackburn tonight. “Trapattoni obviously has his own ideas. If he sat down and, off the record, gave his reasons why he is not picking certain players, I bet you’d think ‘yes, I can see why’.

“There is clearly a difficulty between them. That happens in football. But Trapattoni has more experience than most so you have to accept it.

“He has worked at a lot of top Italian teams, he might have a prototype of what players should be like or look like. If some players do not fall into that category, there is a good chance they will not be picked.

“All of this is a challenge for Andy Reid. Can you prove the manager wrong? Can you get yourself in my team on a weekly basis, playing top football for 90 minutes every week? Andy Reid in good form would certainly be in the Irish squad, without a shadow of doubt.”