The sense of crisis surrounding England’s midfield deepened last night amid growing concerns about Scott Parker after Frank Lampard followed Gareth Barry in being ruled out of the European Championship finals.
Roy Hodgson’s fears were confirmed yesterday when Lampard was eliminated from this month’s tournament with a thigh strain, only three days after the loss of Barry to an abdominal injury.
But the problems facing the England manager have intensified because of persistent worries about the fitness of Parker, who is still suffering from the effects of an Achilles tendon problem.
Parker is expected to train today and to start the final warm-up match, against Belgium at Wembley tomorrow, but Hodgson is concerned about the Tottenham Hotspur player’s ability to last 90 minutes at anything like his usual fervour.
Although a painkilling injection has lessened the discomfort caused by Parker’s injury, Hodgson and the Football Asssociation’s medical staff feel that he will be going into the tournament a long way from full fitness and effectiveness.
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With England’s first group D game, against France in Donetsk, ten days away, injuries to Lampard and Barry, in addition to Jack Wilshere and Jack Rodwell — plus Michael Carrick’s reluctance to make himself available for selection — have left the midfield options severely limited.
Steven Gerrard, who started only 12 Barclays Premier League matches for Liverpool last season, and Parker are the only senior central midfield players available, with James Milner and Phil Jones offering cover while Hodgson waits for Uefa permission to allow Jordan Henderson to take Lampard’s place in the squad.
An FA statement said that Henderson will be called into the squad “subject to agreement from Uefa’s medical team”. Of Lampard’s injury, Hodgson said: “It’s a huge blow to the team, especially coming after the loss of another senior player in Gareth Barry. The fact that the doctor cannot guarantee Frank taking part in any of the group matches means we have to replace him in the central midfield area.
“Apart from it being a huge blow to me and the team, I’m especially disappointed for Frank himself. He has been in very good form and was looking forward to the tournament. He made a huge contribution towards us qualifying for the Euros, so it is cruel to be forced out through injury just before the tournament.”
Lampard will be 34 on June 20 and had acknowledged on Tuesday, before suffering the injury in training, that this could be his final tournament for England. He had said that he had no plans to retire from the international arena, but he is aware of the likelihood that Hodgson may look to proceed with a younger squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.
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Hodgson has been accused in some quarters of ignoring Carrick’s claims, but the former West Bromwich Albion manager was informed upon taking the England job last month that the Manchester United midfielder had effectively withdrawn himself from consideration for international duty last year during Fabio Capello’s tenure.
Hodgson felt that it would have been inappropriate to go cap in hand to Carrick or to ask him to go on the standby list to cover the possibility of an injury to Barry, Gerrard, Lampard or Parker.
Henderson is expected to be given the all-clear to join the squad for training today, when Hodgson will be eager to see whether Glen Johnson and Danny Welbeck will be fit to play a part against Belgium tomorrow.
With Parker unlikely to play for 90 minutes at Wembley, Hodgson may also look to experiment with Jones, Milner or Henderson in central midfield in the second half. Andy Carroll is expected to continue up front with Ashley Young.