"I don't think he is so much in direct competition with Frank, but there aren't many places up for grabs.
"When you look at Gerrard, Scholes, Beckham, Dyer, Hargreaves will probably be there because of his versatility, Nicky Butt because of his experience, it may leave one or two places.
"Frank had a good cup final, and I was there to see it," he says, but I don't think he has played to his top form this season, though you have to allow a player a season to settle in.
"He has gone in with a lot of world class stars at Chelsea, and maybe he just went in feeling a little bit inferior.
"Now he is finding his feet and, where he is, he should get better and better - but I think it might be a little bit late as far as the World Cup is concerned; if I was looking at Frank or Joey, I would take Joey."
Joe has recovered from early season injury to get back on track, and Tony adds:
"I think Joe has been in and out with injury, and it did take him a long time to overcome it, but I think we have a special talent on our hands, and Glenn has handled him well.
"He has played right across that middle now and his education would have come on for it, to realise that there are other things to be done other than just doing your bits and pieces on the ball.
"I think he has learnt this season and he should go to the World Cup; I am not in agreement with a lot of critics who say 'ah well, he is just a showboater'.
"He can do it - and he will get better and better with age."
Tony also thinks that Trevor Sinclair should be named, and adds:
"I would take both Trevor and Joey; they are different - although they are wide men in Sven's eyes - and that is the reason he should take both of them.
"Trevor's strength and pace, allied to the fact that he scores a couple of goals, not to mention being capable of the spectacular effort as well, means that he should be there, and he gives you cover for the right hand side and the left hand side.
"Joe gives you something different because he can play in the withdrawn role as the striker, or you could even go 4-3-3 and say 'we're chasing the game, get Joey on as a floater.'"
There is little debate about David James' imminent inclusion, however, and Tony adds:
"David's form has been outstanding this season; he has always had his critics, and made the odd error, but what goalkeeper doesn't make errors?
"The fact that David puts himself about to make the errors more because he comes for more crosses doesn't matter because the situations that he saves go unnoticed.
"He is very quick off his line and very athletic and is the most nimble of the three goalkeepers - it is just that his experience won't get him the first choice spot.
"He doesn't hide at all, and he has got great confidence in his own ability which, when you are playing at Premiership level, is half the battle - and he is a certainty to go."
Sadly, it look as if Michael Carrick will have to make do with the consolation prize of playing for England U21s this summer, and Tony says:
"Michael's injury prior to the Paraguay and Italy games just paid to his full claims, so it looks like he will be going to Switzerland.
"But I would just agree with that - and I think he is a certainty for the full team in the future.
"Stevie Gerrard, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt are ahead of him in the middle of midfield and he'd be challenging Owen Hargreaves for that spot, so the versatility he has probably nicks it over Michael.
"But he is a super player, and the tournament in Switzerland will do him good."