Gerrard and this injection

[Los Rojos]

It's his decision at the end of the day, and I think you'll all have to agree with me on that.

Perhaps - I still think the club should have a lot of say in this type of situation .

If it's up to Gerrard, I don't think he's going to make right decision though.

[Gordy Boy]

honestly I think he should do it. There are no long term ramifications if it isnt done too often and It is an important game.
And we have cover at Liverpool.

I couldn't agree less.

If McClaren can't find another midfielder to cover Gerrard's position out of the thousands of professional footballers in this country for a game against Israel then he doesn't deserve to be in the job in the first place - let alone risking a players health to dig himself out of the ****.

If he'd got things right at the start of this qualification group then England wouldn't be in a position where this was an idea that was even being entertained.

I can actually see Gerrard doing it out of a sense of duty - I'm just keeping evrything crossed that he doesn't cause any longer lasting damage.

[Guest]

Interesting.

Isn't it funny that all the so-called football people (and by that i mean people like Neil Warnock and Nigel Winterburn) are saying he should have the injection and that they had it and it did them no harm, but the actual medical experts (with the exception of the England medical staff no doubt) are saying it's a bad idea and could do more harm than good?

The amount of pressure being brought to bear on him to take an injection to play is an absolute disgrace, adn no doubt the chief culprit is McClaren. And if he hadn't have done such a bad job running the team they wouldn't be in a position where they're begging Gerrard to have an injection to play. I can't believe they are going to take a risk with our £30m, £100k a week asset, so he can play 2 games for England and then possibly be out of action for us for up to a month.

I'm getting increasingly pissed off at this now.

PS if Redknapp has been in the papers/on tv saying Gerrard shouldn't be pressured into having the injection to play (as suggested in a post above), then respect to him. Takes a lot of stick on here, and rightly so, and I'm far from being a fan of his, but credit where it is due. Good to see someone not toeing the line of the rest of the media and pundits

Again mate, it all comes down to him if he plays or not. His country needs him on a footballing field so it's only normal he wants to sweat blood for England, that's being patriotic.

I have never liked these internationals and was never bothered with world cups and european cups etc ... So it will be for the better of our club if these kind of matches could be cut down or compensation arranged to pay back any injuries resulting into playing international matches.

[Parm]

Interesting.

Isn't it funny that all the so-called football people (and by that i mean people like Neil Warnock and Nigel Winterburn) are saying he should have the injection and that they had it and it did them no harm, but the actual medical experts (with the exception of the England medical staff no doubt) are saying it's a bad idea and could do more harm than good?

The amount of pressure being brought to bear on him to take an injection to play is an absolute disgrace, adn no doubt the chief culprit is McClaren. And if he hadn't have done such a bad job running the team they wouldn't be in a position where they're begging Gerrard to have an injection to play. I can't believe they are going to take a risk with our £30m, £100k a week asset, so he can play 2 games for England and then possibly be out of action for us for up to a month.

I'm getting increasingly pissed off at this now.

PS if Redknapp has been in the papers/on tv saying Gerrard shouldn't be pressured into having the injection to play (as suggested in a post above), then respect to him. Takes a lot of stick on here, and rightly so, and I'm far from being a fan of his, but credit where it is due. Good to see someone not toeing the line of the rest of the media and pundits

[Dhav]

It should be Steven Gerrard alone who decides if he plays or not.

No doubt the player has a say, but if it's the England medical staff working round the clock to get him fit to play the enxt two games with no concern for his physical state after those games, then I think our medical team needs to have an input as well. There needs to be some impartiality here.

This is why I hate international breaks - aside from injuries etc the players are in an environment where they have their heads ****ed by people who have no interest in their well-being. We've seen it previously with tapping up instances, and now with all this.

What about the people who pay him £100K per week? Should they not have a say? What if he is out for a month because he makes things worse? Should we not pay his wages?

Exactly, if he plays and aggrevates the injury, I'm sure we won't have heard the last of it.

[Guest]

Not pointless at all So you think Liverpool should just bend over and take it if he plays and inflames the injury? We pay his wages we should have a say end of.

It's his decision but it's also Rafa's decision not to play him for a few weeks in order for him to recover properly.

Rafa risked him and played him against Chelsea ? What's that if not double standards.

Agreed that the club should hold priority but playing for his country is different and comes down to him wanting or not. I know I'm right.

[spud_gun]

This move smacks of desperation by McLaren and England. Infact it's reeking of desperation.

[Howard_lfc]

No player should play for England if he's injured. FACT.

[Dhav]

Again mate, it all comes down to him if he plays or not. His country needs him on a footballing field so it's only normal he wants to sweat blood for England, that's being patriotic.

I have never liked these internationals and was never bothered with world cups and european cups etc ... So it will be for the better of our club if these kind of matches could be cut down or compensation arranged to pay back any injuries resulting into playing international matches.

You are right mate, ultimately it will come down to the player, and rightly so, but can we say for certain he has been given the proper, imapartial, objective advice to make the right decision? I doubt it.

He's got morons like Hargreaves, Richards, McClaren etc on at him all the time that he should have an injection to play and not let his country down, he's got the England medical staff working round the clock to get him ready for the game on Saturday and Wed and you know they don't care about him in the short-term once the games are over. He's getting his head ****ed there, as usual.

Our medical staff or a representative of our club should be there overseeing things because I dont trusty anyone in that England camp at all to be doing anything in Gerrard's best interests.

[Guest]

This move smacks of desperation by McLaren and England. Infact it's reeking of desperation.

Yes but he's been hard hit by injuries to key players. It's not his fault if England have crap players or no one to fill first teamer's boots. It's all down to the fault of the Association and the clowns running it.

McClown or not, he's paid to do a job with resources available to him. Can he buy players ? No.

[bazza76]

Aren't these performance enhancing drugs he is taking?

[Pacman]

Rafa risked him and played him against Chelsea ? What's that if not double standards.

Agreed that the club should hold priority but playing for his country is different and comes down to him wanting or not. I know I'm right.

Rafa can risk him we pay his wages it's not double standards at all

Your not right Fredo my chum

If he is fit he plays.

If he needs an injection to play he's not fit and should not be risked.

[Guest]

You are right mate, ultimately it will come down to the player, and rightly so, but can we say for certain he has been given the proper, imapartial, objective advice to make the right decision? I doubt it.

He's got morons like Hargreaves, Richards, McClaren etc on at him all the time that he should have an injection to play and not let his country down, he's got the England medical staff working round the clock to get him ready for the game on Saturday and Wed and you know they don't care about him in the short-term once the games are over. He's getting his head ****ed there, as usual.

Our medical staff or a representative of our club should be there overseeing things because I dont trusty anyone in that England camp at all to be doing anything in Gerrard's best interests.

The FA is a farcical organization run by clueless political nominees, I 100% agree with you.

[Pacman]

You are right mate, ultimately it will come down to the player, and rightly so, but can we say for certain he has been given the proper, imapartial, objective advice to make the right decision? I doubt it.

He's got morons like Hargreaves, Richards, McClaren etc on at him all the time that he should have an injection to play and not let his country down, he's got the England medical staff working round the clock to get him ready for the game on Saturday and Wed and you know they don't care about him in the short-term once the games are over. He's getting his head ****ed there, as usual.

Our medical staff or a representative of our club should be there overseeing things because I dont trusty anyone in that England camp at all to be doing anything in Gerrard's best interests.

Exactly all they want is for Gerrard to play the next 2 games for England they don't give a **** if he can't play for a month after that.

[NRCRED]

Rafa risked him and played him against Chelsea ? What's that if not double standards.

Agreed that the club should hold priority but playing for his country is different and comes down to him wanting or not. I know I'm right.

Rafa played him against Chelsea, but he has not been able to pick him since, because he is injured, therefore he should be unavailable for England, surely??

Check out the picture of Gerrard in this & tell me he is 100% ready for a game in 2 days time.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=480203&in_page_id=1779