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| Capello issues WC warning to players |
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Monday, November 09, 2009
LONDON: Established England regulars like centre-back Rio Ferdinand and goalkeeper David James will not go to the World Cup finals next year unless they have been playing regularly and are fit, England coach Fabio Capello has said.
The Italian, who will name his squad later on Sunday for next Saturday’s friendly against Brazil in Doha, said the rule applied to every player including Manchester United’s Ferdinand, who he described as one of the best centre-backs in the world.
Both Ferdinand and James have missed matches recently because of injuries and unlike England coaches of the past, Capello said he would not consider taking anyone with an injury that might even heal during the month-long competition.
“The players that will be with us in South Africa will be all fit,” Capello said. “If you go to South Africa and try to recover there, it will be no good.
“It will not be warm which makes it easier to recover. It will be cold in South Africa for the World Cup.
“It’s impossible to wait for a player. Little injuries, okay, but anyone suffering bigger problems, they will not be there.”
Former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson included David Beckham in the 2002 squad and Wayne Rooney in 2006 when both were recovering from broken bones in their feet, but Capello will not tolerate the same leniency next year.
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned England coach Fabio Capello that playing Steven Gerrard in Saturday’s friendly against Brazil is an unnecessary risk.
Gerrard, who could feature in the Reds’ clash against Birmingham on Monday (today), has been sidelined with a groin injury which he aggravated while playing for England against Ukraine last month.
Benitez is privately frustrated that England didn’t send Gerrard home immediately after he suffered the problem and he hopes Capello will use common sense and leave the midfielder out of his squad for the meaningless game in Doha because he is still not 100 percent fit.
“I don’t see the point of taking a player who has not trained with the team for 15 days,” Benitez said in the News of the World.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
