BADEN-BADEN, Germany, March 15 - England manager
Sven-Goran Eriksson says he is concerned about the fitness of
three of his key players ahead of the World Cup finals.
Arsenal defenders Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole, along with
Newcastle United striker Michael Owen, are all certainties to go
to Germany if fit, but none are currently available.
"I have concerns about all of them, I would say, because
we're in the middle of March and the season finishes for them at
the beginning of May," Eriksson told reporters on Wednesday.
Campbell, plagued by injury over the past year, made his
latest comeback in a reserve match for his club on Tuesday but
has not played first-team football since Feb. 1.
Cole has only played once since October due to a broken
foot, thigh injury and twisted ankle and Owen has not played
since breaking a bone in his foot on Dec. 31.
"I hope all of them will be on the pitch very soon,"
Eriksson said.
"Ashley Cole I spoke to twice recently and he thinks that in
a couple of weeks he will be back in full training. But I
haven't spoken to the medical staff, though, so I am not sure.
"Sol, I don't have any news about when he can start but he
played in a reserve game yesterday and that's good, very good.
And Owen is supposed to be returning very soon."
Eriksson was speaking at the Buhlerhohe Schlosshotel, high
in the mountains above Baden Baden in Germany, where England
will be based during the World Cup.
"When you choose your hotel you need privacy, because
otherwise it would be chaos, and we have that here," said the
Swede.