Profile: England’s interim captain Gary Cahill

With Wayne Rooney ruled out for England’s Euro qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania, Cahill has been given the captain’s armband.

Shoot takes a look at the Chelsea defender who currently has 36 caps for his country.

Where did it all start for the England International?

The 29-year-old was a product of the Aston Villa academy where he spent four years as a youth player, before spending another four years as a professional at the midlands club. During his time at Villa Park, he struggled to cement a first team place with the likes of Martin Laursen and Olof Mellberg at the club.

After two loan spells away from Villa, Cahill joined Bolton Wanderers in 2008 where he spent four years before joining Chelsea in 2012.

Did he make an instant impression at the top level or did it take him longer?

With Cahill struggling with injury problems and game time at Villa, he didn’t make a significant impression until he joined Bolton, where he became captain towards the end of his spell there.

It was around this time when he was getting a lot of recognition and praise that led to his £7 million transfer to Chelsea, as well as the start of his England career.

Where did he start making a real name for himself?

The defender’s career suddenly took off following his move to West London. He went on to win the Champions League and FA Cup double just four months into his Chelsea career and was very instrumental in both competitions.

A stand out performance against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League was one of his most impressive showings to date.

When did he start establishing himself as an international?

Cahill was first selected by Fabio Capello in June 2009, although he did not feature for his country until September 2010, making his debut against Kazakhstan as a substitute.

He started his first game for the Three Lions in September 2011 and has been a regular in the senior side ever since.

He currently has 36 caps and 3 international goals.

What are his best attributes?

Cahill is known for his technical abilities on the ball and his strong tackling. He is also an aerial threat, scoring some spectacular headers and volleys in his career.

Why has Hodgson chosen him to lead the side?

Cahill has shown leadership qualities over the years having captained Bolton at a young age. He has also skippered Chelsea on the odd occasion. Besides Rooney and Phil Jagielka, England’s senior side does not feature many club captains. This potentially could mean Jagielka’s place in the team is in jeopardy with Manchester United’s Chris Smalling having a string of recent strong performances.