Premiership clubs' reluctance to release players for international duty has prompted the FA to insist that all players named in Sven Goran Eriksson's future England squads must report for duty.
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Eriksson (L) and Crozier get tough
(ShaunBotterill/Allsport) |
The reaction comes after Manchester United reported Paul Scholes unfit for international duty and then fielded the midfielder in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
To add to Eriksson's woe Newcastle manager Bobby Robson withdrew Kieron Dyer from the England squad, facing Portugal in a friendly at Villa Park on Saturday, with shin-splints following Monday night's 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson followed suit when he withdrew England skipper David Beckham, who played 89 minutes at Old Trafford on Tuesday, with a calf strain.
Michael Owen, assuming the captaincy against Portugal in the absence of Beckham, can understand the club versus country row but is adamant that he has never had
a problem securing his release.
'I am with one of the clubs that has high profile games so I can see it from both sides,' he said.
'But, from my point of view, I love joining up with England, and whenever
I've been fit the manager has never come up to me and said "you're not joining
up with England". Whenever I've been fit I've been allowed to join up.'
Owen also believes international friendlies are valuable as preparation for qualifying matches or tournaments.
'I think it's very important for us to play together as a team. It's the one friendly game we've got before it gets serious with the qualifiers (for Euro 2004),' he added.
The FA's new hard-line approach comes into force for the first time before the European Championship qualifier against Slovakia next month, when players must join the squad even if their clubs claim they are injured.
FIFA rules allow Eriksson and FA chief executive Adam Crozier to call up players despite the club's protests.
Eriksson had previously bent over backwards to appease club bosses and often gave their star players only 45-minutes playing time to prevent tiring them out.
But the latest turn of events has left Eriksson frustrated, not least because Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier complained on Wednesday about the burden of international friendlies.
Eriksson's hampered preparation for Saturday's match finally got underway in earnest today with a complete squad able to train for the first time.
Midfielders Steven Gerrard and Nicky Butt both reported after motorway traffic problems prevented them from joining their team-mates yesterday. The pair have slight injury concerns and will have fitness tests on Friday before a final decision is made.
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