Lampard and Terry out as England go lame
Having put in a triple shift in the North-west yesterday, taking in games at Blackburn, Blackpool and Manchester United, Fabio Capello was stunned to learn that six of his potential England squad are expected to miss the opening European Championship matches against Bulgaria on Friday and Switzerland on Tuesday week. They are Chelsea's Frank Lampard and John Terry, who are definitely out, Tottenham strikers Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe, and the Fulham pair Bobby Zamora and David Stockdale.
Terry is ruled out with injuries to his right hamstring and glute muscles, and "would benefit from a period of rest and rehabilition", according to the Chelsea website. Lampard needs surgery on his groin after being substituted in the 72nd minute of Chelsea's victory over Stoke, and the club medical staff decided he must undergo keyhole surgery as soon as possible. Manager Carlo Ancelotti said: "We had the same kind of thing with Didier Drogba earlier in the summer and he will be out for one or two weeks."
Crouch, who was due to be welcomed back into the fold after being dropped for the friendly against Hungary earlier this month, suffered a rib injury against Wigan, which the the Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said may be a break. Defoe was already lined up for groin surgery.
Zamora is the third striker likely to miss out, Fulham's manager Mark Hughes rating him "doubtful" after he took a knock to his thigh at Blackpool. In the same game Stockdale, who was due to be called up as the third goalkeeper, turned an ankle.
Darren Bent, Michael Carrick and Tom Huddlestone could all be beneficiaries and if Jack Wilshere and Newcastle's Andy Carroll stay with the Under-21s, there may be a reprieve for Gabriel Agbonlahor and Liverpool's Joe Cole, who also missed the Hungary game. At least Wayne Rooney should be fit, Capello having admitted, "I'm afraid [for him] because he needs to play", before watching him score for United last night.
Neither Paul Scholes or Everton's Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta will be included when the squad is named at 8pm this evening. "The future is for young players," Capello said when asked about David Beckham. Scholes, who admitted he regretted not making himself available for the World Cup when he was given barely 24 hours to make a decision in May, finally told the England manager last week that he was too old for regular international football while playing in the Premier League and Champions' League for Manchester United.
Arteta's position is in abeyance because neither he nor the Football Association will make the first move. He must apply for a British passport, which will take several months, but last night his manager David Moyes said: "It can't be a cop-out by the FA. If they want him, they should say it."
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