apparently with a groin injury,more of a precauton http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_5484423,00.html
id say thats just rafa looking after his players, this game means nothing, after all england are more or less through to the world cup already
If auld whiskeynose can get away with withdrawing players for years why shouldn't Rafa do it too? How ridiculous is it to be playing internationals this close to season starting? Absolute joke!
Exactly friendlies are a complete waste. Look what happened Nando last season.He will be at spurs alright.
We are all focusing on Steven Gerrard pulling out of the England squad while forgetting that both Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt will be in the Netherlands squad. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/08/07/netherlands.squad.england/
Hopefully all our boys come through unscathed these stupid games.... Really, what is the ****ing point of it all??? it may aide in the fitness stakes... it may actually tire some players out for the big kick-off... But the main concern is injuries, and friendlies are simply NOT friendlies... Joke...
I did not know that. I just discovered that Yossi will be playing in Belfast as well. These are ridiculous friendlies.
It seems we have also Philip Degen in the Switzerland squad. This is a google translation of Schweizerischer Fussballver Ottmar Hitzfeld expects the test against world champions Italy in Basle with a hard and intense game. In all too many human experiments, the Swiss national coach refrain. Three weeks before the capital's home against the Greeks in the qualification for the FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa ™ Hitzfeld wants his team to make a location determination. Since the 2-0 win against Moldova in early April denied the SFV-selection does not match anymore. Here is a real endurance test. "I assume that the Italians after their two defeats at the Confed Cup irritated," said Hitzfeld on the day before the kick-off. The Squadra Azzurra was last in South Africa to Egypt (0:1) and Brazil (0:3) played poorly. "Comeback" by Philipp Degen Hitzfeld, the team is not fundamentally new form. It is clear that Philipp Degen first time in over a year back to the starting will count. The returnees from Liverpool may be a substitute for the banned pro-Lazio Stephan Lichtsteiner recommend. With Senderos and Padalino "In the interior defense Philippe Senderos will start," Hitzfeld announced continued. "Nkufo and in front are set free." In the right midfield, he Marco Padalino (Sampdoria Genoa) the strong form FCZler Johan Vonlanthen before.
You'd really wonder about the timing of some of these "internationals" ... Glad Stevie G. has been withdrawn, hope it's nothing to be concerned about, we've more than enough problems with injured players thanks very much.
these internationals are just crap a couple of days before the season starts and players can pick up injuries hope stevie is ok because were gonna need him if hes crocked and carra and others this season could go tits up before Christmas.