SOCCER/World Cup News: Sven-Goran Eriksson is unlikely to see it the same way this morning, but Gerard Houllier last night described the groin injury that will keep Steven Gerrard out of the World Cup as a possible "blessing in disguise".
Gerrard limped out of Liverpool's 5-0 win over Ipswich on Saturday and a consultation with a Belgian specialist confirmed the worst yesterday. Gerrard was seeing him as England readied themselves for their flight to Dubai yesterday afternoon.
Gerrard's absence, together with that of Kieron Dyer, summed up a miserable weekend for Eriksson, and Houllier said of his midfielder: "I honestly don't think he will make the World Cup. Even if he doesn't need an operation he won't be available for three weeks, but this could be a blessing in disguise.
"Had we not had anything to play for against Ipswich I would probably have played a different team and would have rested some players, with Stevie most likely not involved. But the fact that we had to put out our best side against Ipswich meant he had to play and he wanted to play.
"He pulled out after 33 minutes but if he'd gone with England he would have had to pull out after the first game, and you can imagine the consequences of that. It would have been a real setback.
"This way at least Sven can plan without him and we know we can sort the problem out so he can start the season sharp in July."
Liverpool will decide immediately if Gerrard requires surgery of the type that cured their centre-back Stephane Henchoz of a persistent groin injury, and their manager was optimistic that Gerrard can again be a pivotal player for England.
"Surgery could clear it up once and for all," Houllier said. "Usually when you have a groin problem sorted it's sorted for life. Stephane Henchoz had an even bigger problem when he came here and he's not looked back. Steve will have two months before the players come back for pre-season to rest it, but that is why, if he needs it, we need to do it very, very quickly - this week.
"As a manager I would have liked him to go to the World Cup fully fit. We've tried to manage his problem conservatively since February hoping he will be all right. Big games bring experience in how to handle pressure and tactics and players benefit from that."
Dyer falls into a similar fitness category, despite his continued belief that he can present himself fit to Eriksson on Friday. The England manager is also bound to have mixed feelings about the progress of his captain, David Beckham.
Beckham sounded positive yesterday when the squad assembled at Arsenal's training ground - he thinks he will be kicking a ball in 10 days' time - but admitted he is not even contemplating participation in either of England's preparatory friendlies against South Korea on Cheju Island a week today or against Cameroon in Japan on Saturday week.
That means Eriksson will be without three of his preferred four midfielders - Beckham, Gerrard and Dyer - for two games that should have been used to fine-tune England's tactics and formation.
"I'm just aiming for the first game [against Sweden on June 2nd]," Beckham said. "That's what I'm setting my sights on. I can get my fitness up. I ran for the first time on Saturday morning; it's a good sign that I'm running already, five weeks on. But I'm not playing in a game where, if I go in for a tackle, I could do the same thing again. So I'm not even thinking of the friendlies. It's not worth taking the risk."
At least Beckham was on the flight to Dubai, as were Danny Murphy and Trevor Sinclair. Sinclair is still on stand-by and Murphy is the 24th member of the squad, but both are almost certain now to be part of Eriksson's final 23.
Barring further mishaps, Steve McManaman's slim hopes of an emergency call-up have evaporated. He yesterday described his omission as "very confusing" as he prepared for Real Madrid's Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow.
"He \ rang when I was out and left a message on my mobile phone saying I was not in the squad. It was a brief message," McManaman told BBC radio. "I have not spoken to Sven in the last four months and I hadn't been in the three or four previous squads so it wasn't much of a surprise."
Meanwhile, Dyer's agent Jonathan Barnett insisted early talk of possible legal action against Southampton's Tahar El Khalej - whose tackle led to Dyer's knee injury - was too hasty.
"This possibility has been played up far too much," added Barnett. "Kieron is leaving his options open on that score at the moment. It is a possibility but, at the moment, all he is doing is concentrating on getting fit. All courses of action are still being considered."
El Khalej revealed how he had been racked with remorse since the incident which resulted in a straight red card. The Moroccan international sent Dyer a letter and hopes to visit him next week. He added: "I am sorry for him that he is not going to the World Cup. I played in the World Cup in 1994 and 1998 so I know what he is feeling."
