I suppose recovery from fractured metatarsals gets easier with practise. After just one month out, Wayne Rooney is back and raring to go, although manager Alex Ferguson admits it’s far from certain he’ll start again former club Everton:
Rooney has trained very well and will travel. But whether I start him, put him on the bench or leave him out until Wednesday night, that’s something I have to decide.
It’s a pretty rapid recovery, even for a player once dubbed a “quick healer” by Ferguson. However, with turn-coat Rooney now somewhat of a hate figure at Goodison Park, Fergie might be best advised to keep the 21-year old out of the fire until the Champions League tie with Sporting Lisbon.
Gareth Barry will continue in central midfield after the double blow of losing both Frank Lampard and Owen Hargreaves struck England. Lampard returned to Chelsea’s Cobham training ground over the weekend, whilst it was only today that a fitness test ruled Canadian-born Hargreaves out of tomorrow’s tie with Russia.
It’s a massive bonus for Barry, whose close friendship with Steven Gerrard enabled him to form an effective partnership with the Liverpool midfielder on Saturday.
The big doubt remains over who will partner Michael Owen upfront. Emile Heskey impressed against Israel, but with classier opposition less likely to be intimidated by the Wigan man’s awesome physical power, McClaren may opt for the superior guile of the wonderfully ironically-named Crouch.
Either way, it remains a must-win game for England. No amount of injuries will excuse failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
Steven Gerrard has been passed fit ahead of England’s crucial tie with Israel at Wembley this weekend. His potential midfield partner, however, Owen Hargreaves, remains a doubt. Steve McClaren said:
It will be a big boost for everyone but most of all it will be a boost for Stevie Gerrard because he wants to play in this game. Owen Hargreaves also wants to play every game and we’re giving him every opportunity, but we’ll leave it up to the player and the medics.
Despite sitting the session out, Hargreaves is still being including in McClaren’s tactical plans. Skipper John Terry explains:
He was on the sidelines watching what we were doing formation-wise and for set-plays. It was an idea to make sure he was fully OK and to give him another day’s rest. It’s touch and go whether he is going to be OK for the game.
One player who will start the game is Paul Robinson, who has survived the challenges of David James and Scott Carson somehow unscathed.
With the transfer deadline closing in just under 11 hours, West Ham are expected to be major players as they seek a quick fix for their injury jinx. New midfield signings Scott Parker, Freddie Ljungberg, Julien Faubert and Kieron Dyer have all been crocked, so Hammers boss Alan Pardew is believed to be lining up a move for Derby County’s teenage winger Giles Barnes.
Barnes himself has missed the start of the season with a metatarsal injury, and is yet to appear for Derby this season. One would think that if you were looking to solve an injury crisis, signing a player who is currently injured might not be wisest idea.
At the age of 34, persistent knee injuries have finally called time on the career of Ole Gunner Solskjaer. His father, Oyvind, confirmed his retirement to the Norwegian press this morning:
He would have liked to stay on and was hoping for a 100% recovery, but something has happened with his knee which made it impossible for him to continue.
This final complication, after his most recent operation in June, has obviously proved a bridge too far for a player whose career looked over as much as two years ago. He made a remarkable comeback last season to score 11 goals as United romped to the Premiership title - a fitting end to a distinguished career.
United fans are understandably moved by this news, but they’ve had plenty of time to prepare for it - it can hardly be considered a surprise. The question is, will Ferguson buy to replace him? Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha are both still in The Treatment Room, so could Fergie turn to one of Nicolas Anelka or Obafemi Martins to boost his striking options?
With only a few days left in the transfer window, we’ll soon find out.
Peter Shilton could be the next number one, with Geoff Hurst recalled upfront - why not? He’s got a decent record against Germany. And he’s probably fitter than Michael Owen.
Ledley King is a fantastic footballer. When fit, he’s a shoe-in for pretty much every England squad. He’s an outstanding centre-half, and a solid holding midfielder. But his knee is made of polystyrene.
If we were The News of the World, this story would be very different. But we’re not, and whilst certainly bizarre, this story remains entirely innocent.
Reading striker Leroy Lita has injured himself whilst stretching in bed. Manager Steve Coppel says:
Leroy is in a great deal of pain. It’s a point of laughter but a serious business for him.
It seems the problem may be related to nerve damage. Whilst I’m sure the Reading squad have had a good laugh at Lita’s expense, it’s unlikely they’ll be chuckling when they realise he’ll be out for up to a month.
What’s remarkable is that I sustained an identical injury only a few days ago. I was lying in bed stretching, then hopping around the room screaming as something in my calf went “pop!”
With the season beginning in just a few days, players need to watch out for injuries all time. Even, it now seems, in bed.
