By ADAM SERRANO
England got a much needed boost today as coach Fabio Capello stated that Gareth Barry will play in the Three Lions' match against Group C opponent Algeria on Friday after a six-week injury layoff.
The midfielder has been training with the squad, but has not been able to get up to match fitness. A holding midfielder, Barry preformed very well during qualifying for England being paired with Steven Gerrard in the center of the park. Barry has been out since suffering an ankle injury in May while playing for his club side Manchester City.
The return of Barry is a major boost for England which lost defender Ledley King to a groin injury earlier in the week. The defender who was injured in the 1-1 draw with the United States could be out for three weeks.
Here are a few other stories to hold you over until the next World Cup match:
VERON RULED OUT FOR SOUTH KOREA MATCH
Veteran midfielder Juan Sebastion Veron will not take part in Argentina's second match against South Korea due to a leg injury. The 35-year-old suffered a calf muscle strain in the Albiceleste's 1-0 victory over Nigeria.
Head Coach Diego Maradona decided that he did not want to risk aggravating the injury and potentially ending Veron's World Cup. Argentina expects Veron to be ready for their final group match against Greece.
AUSTRALIA ASKS FOR LENIENCY ON CAHILL RED CARD
Australia has requested leniency from FIFA regarding the red card that star midfielder Tim Cahill picked up in the Socceroos' 4-0 defeat to Germany. The Australian football federation submitted documentation to FIFA today stating that a one match ban is sufficient penalty for Cahill. The document includes a statement by the player who Cahill fouled on that play Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger.
FIFA is expected to make a decision on the length of Cahill's suspension on Thursday. Australia takes on Ghana on Saturday.
DEMONSTRATORS PROTEST WORLD CUP SPENDING
On the 34-year anniversary of the Soweto uprising, thousands took to the streets in Durban to protest the amounts of money that the South African government is spending on the World Cup. Recent estimates state that 33 billion rands ($4.3 billion) that have been spent on the tournament so far in a country where 40 percent lives on less than two dollars a day.
The demonstration also centered around the recent firing of security staff whose duties will now fall to local police forces. The protest took place on Youth Day, a national holiday in South Africa commemorating the Soweto uprising in 1976.
BAYERN MUNICH TERMINATE LUCA TONI CONTRACT
Bayern Munich has decided to part ways with Italian forward Luca Toni and has terminated the contract of the 33-year-old. The forward has been out of the plans of Bayern manager Luis van Gaal since the early part of the season and spent the second half of the year on loan to Italian side Roma. Toni finished his career for the Champions League runners-up with 38 goals.
The forward has been linked to a move to Serie A side Genoa, which should be finalized in the coming weeks.
Veron out = Argentina wins! i was unimpressed by veron – sure some decent passes but a lot of giveaways – to me, a big NO-NO for a mid. and for some reason he isn’t fast enough.
Ballack to the Union I am calling it now
Barry playing for England is a great sign for the Three Lions, and he makes an ideal candidate to sub out if they get a lead. And as TimN said, he puts the midfield back to their more comfortable spot.
To my knowledge Capello didn’t cite illness / injury as a factor in pulling Milner, just that he didn’t want him to pick up another card trying to deal with Cherundolo? Correct me if I’m wrong here.
As for Cahill, I hope the suspension is shortened. Seeing him that decimated after the red after the game (for a questionable red at that) really made me think he deserved to end his World Cup career better than that. And Serbia will probably be out of it by then anyway (assuming they lose to Germany), so it won’t have a bearing on the group. I don’t see a reason why he shouldn’t be granted leniency here.
England is my second team after the US but mostly it would be good for us if they slaughter Algeria and Slovenia.
Barry is the key. He puts everyone back in their best spots, Lampard attacking the box, Gerrard on the left or just behind Rooney and he helps shield those vulnerable centerbacks. Rooney, Barry and Hargreaves were England’s most valuable, so without Hargreaves Barry’s value is even more apparent.
This is good news for England, as the Gerrard-Lampard pairing in central midfield has historically not done well.
Though I’m primarily a U.S. fan, I support England second, as my mother’s side of the family are all English.
The U.S. really needs a win against Slovenia because I’m sure England is going to thrash Algeria. I don’t want to end up in a tie on points with Slovenia, and then have advancement out of the group come down to things like goal differential or goals scored, etc.
One doesn’t have to ask. Bradley clearly outcoached Capello.
I was thinking the same thing. On that note, one has to ask if Capello was not out-coached by Bradley on Saturday. His choice of keeper, Milner, and King, as well as playing Gerard and Lampard together all backfired. Just haven’t seen too much commentary on Capello’s bad choices.
Should be fully fit, he’s been training for a while now. Of course, you never know…
Is Barry really fit or is he going to be pulled like Milner?
We desperately need Barry back so we can throw out the Gerrard-Lampard axis and revert to the line-up we used in qualifying. I have hope that England will get better after the US game.
Just so you know, the “will not take part” in the Veron story is a dead link…
So this guy doesn’t have a job anymore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ew1hY0kE7Y