Above: Gary Cahill can't wait to pull on the England shirt

GARY CAHILL has warned Rio Ferdinand he faces a fight to win back his England place.

Gary Cahill will continue alongside John Terry in central defence for tomorrow’s Euro 2012 clash with Wales, with Rio Ferdinand still short of match fitness following a hamstring injury.

Wayne Rooney grabbed the headlines with two goals in Friday’s 3-0 win in Bulgaria.

But many pundits felt Cahill was the real man-of-the-match with a rock-solid display in defence and his first international goal.

It was all the more impressive on the back of a chaotic couple of days leading up to the game.

The 25-year-old didn’t know right up until the end of the transfer window if he was going to Arsenal or Tottenham, or staying at Bolton.

By axing Frank Lampard from his starting line-up in Bulgaria, boss Fabio Capello – unlike previous England managers – showed he is ready to abandon established star names.

And despite having the utmost respect for Ferdinand – who, at 32 is a year younger than Lampard – ambitious Cahill feels he has a chance to establish himself in Capello’s side, even though he is still at unfashionable Bolton.

It took Cahill 15 months after he was first called into an England squad before he won his first cap – against Bulgaria last September.

“It is only healthy for the team,” he said of the fight for places.

“There are some outstanding players in my position so it is really hard to get hold of the shirt.

“When you do, it is down to yourself to try and keep hold of it and I want to stay in the side.

“If you take your chance and play well then hopefully you’ll stay in any team.

“There’s a lot of competition for places, but whenever I’m asked to play I’ll go out and do my best.

“From the manager’s point of view hopefully he knows he can rely on me to start or come on and play. So I hope I just proved that and I enjoyed myself.”

Of the 25 players who travelled to Bulgaria, just eight – Joe Hart, Ashley Cole, Terry, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Lampard, Rooney and Jermain Defoe – have survived from Capello’s 23-man squad for last summer’s World Cup.

Cahill, who will pick up his fifth cap tomorrow, has certainly noticed the difference.

“The squad is becoming a little bit younger and the lads have started off terrifically well with club form,” he added.
“If they continue to do that then they’ll continue to get picked.

“I’ve been in and around the squad – not as long as some people, but longer than others.

“I’ve had to bide my time over the last year, so it’s nice to see the young players getting their chance. I think at the minute there is a nice freshness about the side, with new players coming in and players that are desperate to impress.

“My partnership with John Terry seemed to fit in nicely. The communication was good.

“When you get an early shout behind you – and JT and Joe Hart are big talkers – it really helps.

“And obviously JT plays left side for his club and I play on the right side.

“I think that slides in nicely and I really enjoyed it.”

Despite his rise to the top, Cahill is not about to forget his roots.

As a teenager he played Sunday football for Sheffield side AFC Dronfield and he still stays in touch with the club.
“All my friends played for them, so I went along and signed up,” he said.

“Off the back of that I was scouted at under-14 level by a number of clubs, including Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby and Aston Villa, who I eventually signed for.

“I still call in and visit whenever I’m around the area and have helped out in training and had a kick about with some of the younger groups.

“It’s amazing if you go back all those years and think of where you are now.

“I am very proud of what I have achieved. I was very proud the other night with playing, getting a result and my goal.

“It’s unbelievable to play for England. As a young English player coming through, playing for your country is the highest honour you can get.

“It gives you immense pride to pull on the shirt and I’m enjoying every minute.

“Playing for England is the pinnacle and every pro who has managed it would tell you that.”