Fabio Capello has been accused of treating Steven Gerrard unfairly by former England defender Phil Neal.
Liverpool captain Gerrard will miss England’s friendly against Germany in Berlin tomorrow with a groin injury, but his club are understood to be furious that Capello insisted on the FA’s medical staff assessing the problem, even though Liverpool had already ruled the player out.
Manchester United pair Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney are also absent due to respective back and calf injuries, but neither player was asked to travel to England’s team hotel near Watford – as Gerrard was on Sunday – for a second opinion.
Unlike Gerrard, neither Ferdinand nor Rooney played for their club on Saturday, but ex-Reds defender Neal, who won 50 caps for his country and was a member of former England boss Graham Taylor’s coaching staff, feels Gerrard and Liverpool were hard done-by.
Neal told Radio City: 'I don’t suppose [Liverpool manager] Rafa Benitez or Steven would have anticipated this situation. Steven is proud of wearing the Liverpool shirt and the England shirt.
Capello is exerting his authority, and he is allowed to do that.
'But did he question the other players from other clubs about their particular fitness problems?
You just wonder whether the rule is good for one and not good for them all.'
Gerrard, Ferdinand and Rooney are three of nine senior England players missing from the squad to take on Joachim Low’s team, with Wes Brown, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Emile Heskey also injured.
Goalkeeper David James, captain John Terry – who has himself recovered from a foot injury – midfielder Gareth Barry and winger Theo Walcott are the only members of Capello’s first-choice XI to have made the trip to Berlin.
Neal added: 'Liverpool have had to play without Gerrard and Fernando Torres at certain stages. As England manager, you don’t always have the right players available – as you don’t as a club manager. The idea of this game is that Capello can see which players are up and coming.'
Liverpool captain Gerrard will miss England’s friendly against Germany in Berlin tomorrow with a groin injury, but his club are understood to be furious that Capello insisted on the FA’s medical staff assessing the problem, even though Liverpool had already ruled the player out.
Manchester United pair Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney are also absent due to respective back and calf injuries, but neither player was asked to travel to England’s team hotel near Watford – as Gerrard was on Sunday – for a second opinion.
Unlike Gerrard, neither Ferdinand nor Rooney played for their club on Saturday, but ex-Reds defender Neal, who won 50 caps for his country and was a member of former England boss Graham Taylor’s coaching staff, feels Gerrard and Liverpool were hard done-by.
Neal told Radio City: 'I don’t suppose [Liverpool manager] Rafa Benitez or Steven would have anticipated this situation. Steven is proud of wearing the Liverpool shirt and the England shirt.
Capello is exerting his authority, and he is allowed to do that.
'But did he question the other players from other clubs about their particular fitness problems?
You just wonder whether the rule is good for one and not good for them all.'
Gerrard, Ferdinand and Rooney are three of nine senior England players missing from the squad to take on Joachim Low’s team, with Wes Brown, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Emile Heskey also injured.
Goalkeeper David James, captain John Terry – who has himself recovered from a foot injury – midfielder Gareth Barry and winger Theo Walcott are the only members of Capello’s first-choice XI to have made the trip to Berlin.
Neal added: 'Liverpool have had to play without Gerrard and Fernando Torres at certain stages. As England manager, you don’t always have the right players available – as you don’t as a club manager. The idea of this game is that Capello can see which players are up and coming.'
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