Ben Foster withdraws from England squad
Goalkeeper Ben Foster has pulled out of the England squad which will face Hungary on Wednesday in an international friendly due to injury. The four-times capped Birmingham City player has had to withdraw from national team manager Fabio Capello’s group after suffering damage to his back.
Foster, who was signed from Manchester United this summer in a four million pound deal, has returned to his club for treatment ahead of the Blues’ English Premier League opening game away to Sunderland on Saturday.
Capello has named two replacements, having called up Scott Loach of Watford and Frank Fielding of Blackburn Rovers. Joe Hart of Manchester City is set to start the game, with the two new call-ups on the substitute’s bench.
Foster’s withdrawal brings to light the lack of depth in the goalkeeping department, a problem Capello will have to contend with during the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying campaign. Though Hart is a very capable player, the lack of experienced cover in the position will be of major concern to the national team coach. David James and Robert Green, both of whom played for England during the failed 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign were not named in Capello’s squad on this occasion, and Blackburn’s Paul Robinson announced his international retirement after being called up for the Hungary game.
Despite being just 22 years old, Loach is an experienced player with his club. He has been Watford’s first-choice goalkeeper for the last two seasons and has played for the England Under-21 side 12 on 12 occasions.
Fielding, also 22, has not yet made his senior debut for his club, but started in the Under-21 international friendly game against Uzbekistan in Bristol today. He has so far only seen first-team action with Wycombe, Northampton and Rochdale while playing for those clubs on loan.
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