'No hard feelings'

Scholes, Campbell join Ferdinand on England injury list

BISHAM ABBEY, England (Reuters) -- Paul Scholes was undergoing tests on an ankle problem and Sol Campbell was confined to his bed as England prepared for the start of its 2004 European Championship qualifying campaign Tuesday.

England faces Slovakia in Bratislava on Saturday before hosting Macedonia four days later.

"Scholes is having a scan on his ankle today," coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who watched Scholes play a full game for Manchester United in the Premier League on Monday night, told reporters at England's training base.

"He has had the problem for a long time, and we knew about the scan the day before yesterday [Sunday].

"He's been playing with it and hopefully he will play another 90 minutes for us on Saturday. He will be on the plane [when England fly to Slovakia]."

Midfielder Scholes, who scored twice as United beat Everton 3-0 at Old Trafford on Monday, will win his 50th England cap on Saturday if he proves his fitness.

Stomach virus

Campbell's arrival at England's base has been delayed by a stomach virus, and his absence means Eriksson -- already without the injured Rio Ferdinand -- could be without his first choice central defensive pairing Saturday.

"I got a message about Sol before breakfast this morning," said Eriksson. "He is in bed at home with a stomach illness and a doctor is with him.

"We will see if it's a problem, but we will have to wait until [Wednesday] to take a decision on whether he will come or not."

England's players are due to train at 1400 GMT on Tuesday. They fly out to Bratislava on Thursday. After Saturday's game they face Macedonia in Southampton next Wednesday.

Eriksson said there were "no hard feelings" with Manchester United over Ferdinand's withdrawal.

The Swede also explained his decision to omit Leeds United midfielder Lee Bowyer -- who made Alan Smith's goal in England's 1-1 friendly draw with Portugal last month -- from the squad.

"I saw a lot of games last season and even this season and I think he can play better football. I'm sure he can. That's the only reason."

Eriksson defends United in club versus country row

BISHAM ABBEY, England (Reuters) -- Sven-Goran Eriksson has defended Manchester United against accusations the club are deliberately ignoring England's best interests.

United sent Rio Ferdinand for a knee operation on Sunday and the 30 million pounds (US$46.85 million) defender is now unavailable for England's opening 2004 European championship qualifiers against Slovakia and Macedonia.

The two weeks set aside for international fixtures mean United do not have another game until October 19.

Critics say coach Alex Ferguson is taking advantage of the break so that Ferdinand, who could be out for up to six weeks, will miss as few United games as possible.

"I do not think that's cynical," said England coach Eriksson on Tuesday.

"As long as a club thinks they can avoid an operation, they will avoid it. But it comes to a certain point when you say 'the right thing to do is operate.'

"Rio has a knee problem and I'm sorry he is not here with us. But when there is an injury problem with a player, why should there be any doubts about it?

"I don't have any. Rio even played for United in their Champions League game [against Olympiakos] last week.

"There are no bad feelings."

United informed Eriksson about Ferdinand on Saturday afternoon. The Swedish coach said he did not get the mobile phone message until later that day because he was watching West Ham United versus Birmingham City.

The relations between United and England, via the Football Association, have not always been smooth.

Eriksson was told by United that Paul Scholes was not fit to be included in the squad for a friendly match against Portugal last month, but Scholes played in a Premier League match the day after Scholes was withdrawn from the squad.

No problem

Scholes was another injury worry on Tuesday. Eriksson confirmed the midfielder was having a scan on a long-standing ankle problem and he did not train with England.

England captain David Beckham had an ice pack strapped to his calf after United's 3-0 win over Everton on Monday.

Eriksson said Beckham should be fit but added: "I have not spoken to David...it's always a concern until you see them running on the pitch."

Scholes, who scored twice in United's win over Everton, is hoping to win his 50th cap when England play Slovakia on Saturday.

But it will not be as a support striker for Michael Owen. "Scholes has demonstrated that wherever he plays he is great," said Eriksson.

"As a second striker [at United] he has been doing that very well, but not today [for England]."

Eriksson asks goalkeeper Seaman about retirement plans

BISHAM ABBEY, England (Reuters) -- England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson quizzed David Seaman on Tuesday about the Arsenal goalkeeper's retirement plans.

Eriksson has recalled the 39-year-old, blamed for a mistake that led to England being knocked out of the World Cup, for the 2004 European championship qualifiers against Slovakia and Macedonia.

"We will take each game as it comes," Eriksson told reporters. "I don't even know if Seaman knows how long he wants to play for. I will ask him today."

Seaman allowed a Ronaldinho free kick to drift over his head for Brazil's winning goal in their 2-1 quarter-final win in June. But Eriksson believes Seaman remains the most consistent and experienced performer between the posts for England.

The Swedish coach rested Seaman for the friendly with Portugal last month. He is set to win his 74th cap and overtake former Gordon Banks's international mark when England face Slovakia in Bratislava on Saturday.

Eriksson would not be drawn on how he would feel if Seaman decided to retire immediately.

"That is not a problem for today," he said. "I don't think there is a problem [with the goalkeeping situation]."

Eriksson's view is that he should field his best team for each game as England set out on the road to Portugal in 2004.

"The most important things is that we qualify for the tournament," said Eriksson. "We haven't even begun our campaign yet."

West Ham United's David James and Paul Robinson, the Leeds United keeper who turns 23 the day before England host Macedonia on October 16, are also in Eriksson's squad.

"David has been involved with England for many years and Robinson has been doing well," said Eriksson.

Bowyer should not worry, says Eriksson

BURNHAM, England (Reuters) -- Lee Bowyer was on Tuesday assured by coach Sven-Goran Eriksson that his England omission has nothing to do with personal differences.

Midfielder Bowyer was overlooked twice by Eriksson as he compiled his squad for the 2004 European championship qualifiers against Slovakia and Macedonia -- first when Eriksson named the original 23-man party and again when David Thompson was drafted in as a surprise replacement for the injured Trevor Sinclair.

After impressing on his senior England debut in last month's friendly against Portugal, the Leeds United man again finds himself on the outside looking in with British media suggesting his demeanor did not endear him to the Swede.

But Eriksson told reporters on Tuesday. "Of course he fitted in [for the Portugal get-together].

"I liked what I saw. We did not speak every day but we were happy. I hope someone didn't suggest his face did not fit in... I'm sorry but that's wrong. It's absolutely not right."

Involved in a lengthy court case over the assault of a student in which he was found not guilty of all charges, Bowyer's rise to the England senior set-up has been a controversial one.

Although he had previously captained England under-21s, the 2001 court case meant he could not be selected for the full England team until it had ended.

After telling Leeds United he did not want to sign a new contract last season, a proposed 9 million pounds ($14.05 million) move to Liverpool fell through in the close-season when talks broke down between his advisor and Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier.

The 25-year-old has remained with Leeds under Terry Venables, but Eriksson justified his exclusion from the latest England squad on grounds of form.

Cole message

Eriksson accepted that to drop a player just one game after giving him his senior debut "maybe" does not help them, but he added: "I'm sure Bowyer will be picked again. I think at the moment he could be playing better football."

The same message went to Joe Cole, the West Ham United midfielder dropped from the senior squad back into the under-21s.

"It's easy -- he has played much better football than he is doing now," said Eriksson, who took 20-year-old Cole to the World Cup finals earlier this year.

"I think the World Cup was a fantastic experience for him but I felt it better for him if he plays an under-21 international rather than sitting on the bench with the seniors.

"Life and football is easy sometimes, and at others it is difficult. That is the same for big clubs and big players as well as less famous players. I have to follow my ideas and my head."

Eriksson said that West Ham's lowly position in the premier league may have affected Cole's confidence, but insisted that was not the only reason Cole's form has dipped.

The beneficiary of Eriksson's policy is Thompson, the Blackburn Rovers midfielder who has never won a senior cap and who has been in splendid form of late.

"I don't think it is a risk [calling up a new player for a competitive game]," said Eriksson of Thompson, who has scored three goals in his last six club games. "He has come through the England under-19s and under-21s anyway.

"I have seen him twice recently and I liked what I saw. He can play anywhere across midfield which is good for us."

 

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