After the kind of build-up to the Turkey game that could almost spawn one of those dreadful '…from Hell' television programmes, Sven Goran Eriksson needed the latest blow to preparations for Saturday, the Rio Ferdinand episode, like the over-laden camel needed that last straw. No wonder he's got the hump!
Rio has been called to attend a meeting on Monday by the FA, the governing body that has timed Sol Cambell's disciplinary hearing just a matter of days after he returned to football following his father's death AND just 24 hours before England fly out to Turkey.
CONGRATULATIONS FA for the worst case of timing in your 140 year history, and believe me there have been a few other contenders for that accolade.
Prior to the Rio issue all that Sven had to worry about was:
1. Would Michael Owen recover miraculously from his horrendous twist at the weekend that damaged ankle ligaments?
2. Would David Beckham come through Real Madrid's game against Espaynol, despite carrying a foot injury?
3. Would the defensive problems that seem to have beset his first choice central defenders, Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand, (I mean the ones on the pitch) affect their ability to perform in the biggest England game since Brazil in the World Cup?
4. Would the concerns over Wayne Rooney's temperament, that surfaced against Spurs, affect the youngster's participation against Turkey?
Oh, I nearly forgot, to add salt to the gaping wounds being suffered by the England Head Coach we have the suggestion, from Gerard Houllier no less, that Sven is using his position as the England coach to 'tap-up' Premiership players for his future employment as Chelsea manager, notably Steven Gerrard.
Well, remembering that somewhere amidst all the rhetoric, accusations, counter accusations and declaring people guilty until they are proven innocent, contrary to long-accepted principles of justice, THERE IS A FOOTBALL MATCH GOING ON AT THE WEEKEND.
Turkey versus England is the matter in hand that seems to have escaped the attention of some people, notably those for whom it should be top of the list.
Michael Owen is rated at just 50-50 for the showdown in Istanbul and anyone who saw the way the Liverpool striker twisted as he fell in the game against Arsenal would have rated the odds on him making that game even longer. Even if intensive treatment gets him ready to play it's unlikely that he would be able to give 100 per cent for 90 minutes.
Even if he could provide a vital cameo it's doubtful that Liverpool would want to rule Owen out for many weeks, perhaps months, just to ensure qualification for Euro 2004, by allowing a bit-part. But we live in hope of another Owen miracle.
The one ray of sunshine in this dark week, fittingly, came from Spain with the news that David Beckham came through his Real game without a problem, even making a crucial goal for Ronaldo with the deftest of chips for the World Cup winner to head home. A dead leg picked up in that game will not keep him out.
As for Rio and Sol we will have to wait and see what the FA decide before we can even guess how those two would react in Turkey. Suffice it to say that the word PROFESSIONAL comes into mind when those two players are mentioned. As the Arsenal man said when notified of his FA hearing: "Anything that comes your way you have to just take, because those sort of situations I can't influence."
Loads of 'ifs and buts' though and we can only wait for the announcement of Sven's squad shortly to see how many, if any, have been put to bed.
