Englands Green out of Bulgaria match

Published: 30 Aug 2011 - 10:30:11

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West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green has been ruled out of England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia on Friday due to injury, causing a selection headache for coach Fabio Capello.

Green reported for duty at England's training base outside London late Monday, but it was clear he would be unable to take part in the Group G encounter having earlier picked up a knock.

Derby's Frankie Fielding has been called up as a replacement.

However, as on-loan Ipswich keeper David Stockdale, who conceded seven at Peterborough last week, was the back-up anyway, it places more emphasis on the fitness of Manchester City's Joe Hart.

Fabio Capello's first-choice goalkeeper has never given any impression of suffering from injury problems.

However, he was forced to pull out of the November friendly defeat to France last season after suffering a back spasm in training and Capello will be anxious to avoid any kind of repeat with neither Stockdale nor Fielding having ever played at senior level before.

Fielding started all three matches for Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 side at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship Finals in Denmark in June.