Injury Crisis For England

England has suffered a major blow as superstar Emile Heskey limped out of Wigan’s draw this weekend at the JJB, with what is suspected to be broken fifth metatarsal bone in his foot. The injury will keep the forward out of the October qualifiers for the Three Lions, but there is concern that the foot could cause even longer term headaches for England skipper Steve McClaren.

Heskey returned recently to the England squad after years of retirement to help England become the greatest team on the planet. It was his play up front while midfield maestro Gareth Barry conducted the midfield, which had helped England emerge from years of mediocrity to become the new Brazil. Barry, who had himself retired from the squad on four previous occasions, returned to the midfield to provide guidance for newcomer Steven Garrard. Panic is now rampant throughout the whole of England. It is worried that Barry, too, could succumb to injury, which would effectively kill off their hopes of making and then winning the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland next summer. If tragedy were to strike, England would be forced to employ such B-list players as Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney or Owen Hargreaves as stop-gaps until the two superstars can recover.

Fortunately for McClaren, Phil Neville is expected to return soon from injury, so that the liability that is Micah Richards can be avoided in the crucial crunch matches. The only remaining worry for the ex-Middleborough gaffer is the persistent lack of injuries for defender Rio Ferdinand and keeper Paul Robinson.