Boro praise over injured Woody
28 Mar 2007 - 10:47:22
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has praised the England medical team for sending injured defender Jonathan Woodgate back to Teesside for treatment on a knee problem.
The on-loan Real Madrid defender was originally called up to the England squad for the Euro 2008 qualifying double-header with Israel and Andorra this week.
Woodgate sat out the opening game in Tel Aviv at the weekend, before the decision was taken not to risk his injured knee against Andorra on Wednesday.
The former Leeds United and Newcastle United defender could now be fit for Boro's Premiership trip to West Ham on Saturday and Southgate has praised the decision to send his player back to the Riverside for treatment.
"He has had a small problem with his knee in recent weeks and did not feel he would be fit for the game with Israel," he told the club's official website.
"The England set-up have sent him back for treatment with us - I think that is the most sensible thing.
"It is possible he might have been available for the Andorra game, but everybody felt if it was not necessary to call him back into the squad, then it was better for him to stay here and recover with us.
"We just have to monitor it as the week goes on. We are hopeful he will be available for Saturday, but obviously we cannot be 100 per cent sure."
