KJ and Steven Gerrard...

[Filho]

..have something in common. Club vs Country doesn't just affect the smaller nations. Some of the injuries, if not all are genuine this rounds. But I find it amazing how many big players play for their club, and then pick up an injury right before a friendly..then recover in time to run a 90 minutes two or three days later. There have been times when it seems pretty fishy. Again, not saying this is the case with Gerrard....or Robbie Keane who will miss Ireland's friendly after his national team's medical staff declared him unfit for their midweek friendly...but it's got to be more than just a coincidence that this is the norm when friendlies hit while the league and European season heats up

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=593372&sec=worldcup2010&cc=5901

England coach Fabio Capello has risked the wrath of Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez after forcing Steven Gerrard to report for duty ahead of Wednesday's friendly in Germany, despite being declared unfit by his club.

Steven Gerrard: Injured or not?

Gerrard tore a muscle in his right leg during Saturday's 2-0 at Bolton Wanderers and Liverpool's doctors ruled him out of the international match in Berlin.

But Capello has ordered Gerrard to undertake the 200-mile journey to England's Hertfordshire team hotel, where he will be assessed by Football Association medical staff before a final decision on his availability is reached later on Monday.

Chelsea and England captain John Terry is also being assessed following the foot injury he sustained during Chelsea's 3-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion.

An FA spokesman said: "John Terry and Steven Gerrard have both reported to the team hotel tonight [Sunday] and will be assessed tomorrow [Monday] by the England medical staff."

The decision to assess Gerrard will no doubt re-open the club versus country row and the crunch will come if England's doctor's declare the Liverpool skipper fit to play in Germany.

This is the first time that Capello has exercised his right under FIFA rules to have his own medical staff examine a player whose club claim is injured.

The England manager has been hit by a host of withdrawals and his hard-line stance is likely to stamp out any dubious diagnoses by the clubs.

With the likes of Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney ruled out before the Italian named his 23-man party and Joe Hart, Gerrard and possibly Terry pulling out before the Three Lions have begun a training session, Capello's efforts at maintaining the momentum built up by four straight World Cup qualifying wins have been cruelly undermined

[kaisocagoals]

it's a tough one, but, clubs pay to keep their employees fit...

I totally agree that sometimes it seems suspicious, but then again, how many sick days you take this year from school/work?...

[Filho]

it's a tough one, but, clubs pay to keep their employees fit...

I totally agree that sometimes it seems suspicious, but then again, how many sick days you take this year from school/work?...

haha. i like de analogy. but we have personal days, so you doh have to be sick, or fake a sick to take them

faking injury to duck the national team seems a little different tho..imo. u get the feeling that if any of the players faking..is not of their own accord, but more the club pressuring them. just a hunch.

so yuh question should be...how many sick days your own company encourage yuh to take this year from yuh second job dat doh pay as much? 

[sinned]

a little tangential here but i was wondering if there exist club insurance policies on players and if there are, how do they work? it seems to make sense for football with the clashing interests of club vs. country and the associated risks of a club, who has invested a lot financially in a player, (by the transfer fee they may have paid and the salary they pay the player) having to let its player play for his country.

it seems that it's a wise way to try to protect your investment as a club so if you lose a player for a while due to injury with his country then you get some kind of insurance payoff to help you out by either getting a player in the transfer market or just relieve club debt. does this happen already? i honestly don't know. i can imagine there'd be some problems with it and it wouldn't be a perfect solution for clubs especially since money isn't going to help when you lose a star like stevie g but i have to imagine it'd help out in some cases right?

anyone with more knowledge on this? fliho? bakes? eman?