World Cup qual. - Terry and Cole out of Belarus trip

Eurosport - Tue, 14 Oct 09:48:00 2008

England manager Fabio Capello has a selection headache after John Terry and Ashley Cole were ruled out of the World Cup qualifier against Belarus on Wednesday.

2008 England John Terry Ashley Cole - 0

The Chelsea defenders are both injured - Terry with a long-standing back injury and Cole with a hamstring complaint.

Neither man will travel to Minsk with the squad on Tuesday, and will return to their club.

"It's disappointing to lose two very experienced players in John Terry and Ashley Cole for the game in Belarus," said Capello.

"Unfortunately they have no chance of playing, so it is best they return to Chelsea."

Cole was booed by the Wembley crowd during England's 5-1 win against Kazakhstan on Saturday after an error that led to the visitors' goal. He completed 90 minutes and showed no sign of injury.

His absence will surely lead conspiracy theorists to suggest that Capello has withdrawn the left-back to protect him from further abuse.

Cole's Chelsea colleague Wayne Bridge is expected to deputise, although Everton's Joleon Lescott is another option to play left-back.

Rio Ferdinand will continue to captain the side in Terry's absence, having done so against Kazakhstan.

Terry performed light training and gym work on Sunday but failed to come through rigorous tests on Monday morning.

Capello has hinted that Terry's absence could lead him to continue to deploy Gareth Barry as a holding midfielder.

Speaking after Saturday's game, Capello said: "I have time to decide whether to play a holding midfielder in Belarus. First we have to wait and see whether John Terry will play, then we will decide about the midfield.''

England lacked cohesion and drive in the first half with Barry, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in a three-man midfield.

They registered a marked improvement following a half-time switch to 4-4-2 that saw Shaun Wright-Phillips come on for Barry.

England are top of Group 6 after winning their first three games. Belarus are fourth having played one game fewer. They lost 1-0 away to Ukraine, before winning 3-1 in Andorra.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 56 - 75 of 95

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  1. Cole gonna be playing at home on Wednesday - with his mobile phone!

    From Brizzie Blue, on Tue 14 Oct 12:47AM

  2. Lampart and Gerrard are the same.. they are good player.... but Gerrad best in shoting..but lampart best in freekick.. that the best of England... in this Terry And A.cole cast...i think they must rest because both of them injured...

    From hxh_92, on Mon 13 Oct 11:38PM

  3. Cole injured... i doubt it hes probably just going into hiding until he reaches the comfort of rich snobs chelsea

    From michael.r.griffiths@..., on Mon 13 Oct 10:00PM

  4. looks like diferent world cup same team same ending

    From IVOR, on Mon 13 Oct 9:42PM

  5. cockney wan ---- kers

    From skintus, on Mon 13 Oct 9:09PM

  6. Well,well,well Terry and Cole injured and can't play for England.......Bet they BOTH play for Chelsea this weekend.....

    From SK, on Mon 13 Oct 8:30PM

  7. why was Terry picked when he wasnt fit what a waste of space he has been in this squad, you pick players that can actually play the matches not sum moron who was only picked cause hes meant to be captain, as for Ashley Cole well......

    From debers7, on Mon 13 Oct 7:38PM

  8. west ham ? sorry pal i am a burnley fan you mug ! i am not anti chelsea i hate all the teams in the prem !!!!! i just think that them three have got in the england team to many times and not done the job. they also have this attitude of thinking they should be in the side. we need to get rid of the old boys network and put the young players in because the older ones are losers in a england shirt. thats just a fact it's time for them to go.

    From jclaret4life, on Mon 13 Oct 7:10PM

  9. Only a West Ham supporter could be so blinkered and biased .... Alf Garnett returns....Claret4life ....what with embarresment....?

    From ian.griff@..., on Mon 13 Oct 6:58PM

  10. jclaret4life u forget wayne bridge..im chelsea foreign fans and honestly not really care about england coz recenty their fans so funny especially other england club follower who anti-chelsea... so i want to see england performance without chelsea players ..but just against Belarus that nothing so great

    From andrew, on Mon 13 Oct 6:56PM

  11. Not wanting to sound dense, but wouldn't owen + rooney make a great combination. Rooney could provide the link between midfield like he did most of last season for his club, and owen with his poachers instict would fit in perfectly. I just feel we need to change our style of play from the old long ball up front or get it out wide attitude.

    From olivercordingbooth, on Mon 13 Oct 6:53PM

  12. good! get the nob lampard out and thats the full set!

    From jclaret4life, on Mon 13 Oct 6:45PM

  13. sukimason are u prefer injured player to playing and coz something negative? ..very funny..if doctor or england medical squad say both of them cant playing, what cappello can do..are u god? isnt cole coz Kazakhstan goals and going boo boy at wembley..Why so care? Isnt terry playing for Chelsea the most hated club in England and some opinion say he just average player also dont deserve england captain? So get rid all Chelsea player (terry, lampard, bridge, and both cole) in england team if something like that can make anti-Chelsea fans happy and add any player from ur favorite team such manu. arsenal, pool etc..i want to see england performance without chelsea player..ha.ha. england fans and their media so funny..

    From andrew, on Mon 13 Oct 6:16PM

  14. sukimason are u prefer injured player to playing and coz something negative? ..very funny..if doctor or england medical squad say both of them cant playing, what cappello can do..are u god? isnt cole coz Kazakhstan goals and going boo boy at wembley..Why so care? Isnt terry playing for Chelsea the most hated club in England and some opinion say he just average player also dont deserve england captain? So get rid all Chelsea player (terry, lampard, bridge, and both cole) in england team if something like that can make anti-Chelsea fans happy and add any player from ur favorite team such manu. arsenal, pool etc..i want to see england performance without chelsea player..ha.ha. england fans and their media so funny..

    From andrew, on Mon 13 Oct 6:13PM

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    From , on Mon 13 Oct 6:08PM

  16. Lampard is a 20 goal a season man for club consistently, he also scores more goals for england than Gerrard, he has a better work ethic and has better vision than gerrard when playing for england.
    When gerrard plays for liverpool he has better players around him so looks a better player, he has the ability to turn a game but rarely turns up in an england shirt.
    The current england team will never win anything anyway so its a pointless argument as to whether they can play together. Its a result of too many foreign players in the premiership that no young talent really gets through at top clubs. Walcott came from southampton remember not arsenal before you all start jumping on your band wagons

    From stuart m, on Mon 13 Oct 6:07PM

  17. good

    From jimmy, on Mon 13 Oct 5:59PM

  18. i think lamperd is soooooooooooooooooooo bad and that it shoud be gerrard and bary in the cetre

    From simon.ogden4@..., on Mon 13 Oct 5:50PM

  19. Would I be cynical to think that the 2 Chelsea players would prefer to protect themselves for the next Premier league game... a bit like Arsenal used to do when Cole and Campbell played for them... very convenient...

    From Keith, on Mon 13 Oct 5:49PM

  20. I think seeing as the Croatia game was such a success Capello should just repeat the formation that he had put in place for that game. Don't get me wrong,I'm a huge Liverpool and England fan, but I do think it's possible England and especially Lampard don't get the best out of him. Lampard is probably less talented than Gerrard, but, as 55 says, he can be counted on more for England. Look how much better than Gerrard he played against Kazakhstan!

    From Danymontin, on Mon 13 Oct 5:10PM
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