SOCCER:GARETH BALE faces a race against time to be fit for Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid on Tuesday week having being forced to withdraw from the Wales squad for tomorrow's Euro 2012 qualifier against England with a hamstring strain.
The injury, which is a severe blow to Wales’s hopes of causing an upset at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow night, came to light after Bale complained of tightness in his hamstring during a warm-up on Tuesday.
When the 21-year-old winger was unable to take part in training on Wednesday, Wales sent him for a scan which revealed he had been carrying the injury at Spurs the previous week.
Bale played 90 minutes against West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday but that was his first full game since January 16th , having been sidelined with a back problem for six weeks.
He was struggling with his hamstring towards the end of that time and Spurs will be anxious the latest setback could threaten his involvement at the Bernabeu.
Gary Speed, however, tried to offer a more positive prognosis. The Wales manager said Bale could feature against Real Madrid and also claimed his decision to declare him unfit for the England game had reduced the risk of him picking up a serious injury that could have ended his season.
“The decision was made last night as soon as we got the scan,” said the Wales manager. “I think you can tell on the scans now with the fluid and blood that he was injured from last week. I’m no expert, but I’m sure it’s only a 10-day thing.”
Speed could have been forgiven for questioning the wisdom of Harry Redknapp’s decision to keep Bale on the pitch throughout the game against West Ham, although he seemed determined to avoid becoming embroiled in a club versus country row with the Spurs manager.
There had been the potential for a major fall-out yesterday morning, when Raymond Verheijen, the Wales assistant manager, wrote “the incompetent amateurs struck again” on his Twitter page.
Spurs reacted angrily to Verheijen’s comments, believing they were directed at them for their handling of the injury, but both the Dutchman and Speed have since clarified he was referring to a newspaper article that incorrectly suggested Bale had strained his hamstring training for Wales.
“It was a total misunderstanding. In no way did that refer to Tottenham,” said Speed. “I can understand how it might be portrayed but I think the fact it was reported he did his hamstring.”
Speed has named Arsenal’s 20-year-old midfielder Aaron Ramsey as his premanent captain.
With Liverpool striker Andy Carroll tipped to start alongside Wayne Rooney up front for England, other areas of debate surround a central midfield partner for Ramsey’s clun-mateJack Wilshere, who is set to make his first competitive appearance, and who will slot in alongside John Terry at the back, with the choice likely to be between Michael Dawson and Phil Jagielka.
England manager Fabio Capello is notorious for keeping everyone guessing and even goalkeeper Joe Hart does not know who will get the call.
“It’s one of the first times I can remember that everyone in the squad has stayed,” said Hart. “There are millions of us training and everyone is vying for that spot.
“It is not completely clear who’s playing so it keeps you focused.”
