Soccer-Crocked Koeman wrestles with Southampton injury list

By Ossian Shine SOUTHAMPTON, England, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Hobbling gingerly on crutches, Ronald Koeman can perhaps empathise more than most with the players on his injury list, but the Southampton manager will need more than a sympathetic manner to fix the Saints' defensive frailties. "I'm not available for the weekend," the Dutchman laughed as he spoke to reporters at Southampton's Staplewood training complex on the fringes of the New Forest. Saints' injury woes are no laughing matter, though, and the south coast side would love nothing more than to have a talismanic defender in the mould of their manager as they wrestle with knocks and niggles ahead of Saturday's visit by Everton. "We have some difficulties with the injuries," Koeman said with characteristic understatement. Latest is Dutch midfielder Jordy Clasie. The summer signing from Feyenoord picked up a hamstring injury in the Europa League win over Vitesse, and exacerbated matters in a low-key Under-21 game midweek which had been intended to prove his fitness. "Clasie was back with the hamstring, he had to play," Koeman said. "But now he will be out for the next two to three weeks with an ankle injury. "Steven Caulker has a sinus infection, he will not be available for the weekend," he said of the defender taken on loan from Queen's Park Rangers last month. "Ryan Bertrand is not available, maybe in two weeks he can train," he added. The full-back has undergone minor surgery on both knees. Southampton are already without their England goalkeeper Fraser Forster who could be out for the best part of a year after knee surgery, and centre-back Florin Gardos who faces seven months out, also with a troublesome knee. "Defence? We are under pressure, a little bit, yes. We are still working to bring in one more defender, and we have been a little but unlucky with defensive injuries," Koeman said. If nothing else, the injuries have stiffened the manager's resolve to rebuff any attempts by clubs to lure captain and defender Jose Fonte away. Aston Villa and Everton are the latest clubs to be linked with the Portugal international. "I don't know if he is a target for another club. He's our captain, he's a very strong defender and a club man," Koeman said. "I don't have one second in my mind to sell that player. "He is part of the team, he is the captain. There's no way to sell the player." Southampton opened their season with a 2-2 draw at Newcastle last weekend, while Everton also drew 2-2 at home to Watford. Koeman watched the opener at home in the Netherlands as he recuperated from his Achilles surgery. "I wasn't impressed. I was unhappy about the first half," he said. "It isn't a bad result, but normally if we play at our level it is a game we should win." The Saints have been warned. (Editing by Justin Palmer)