Rodgers fumes over Sturridge injury setback
DISGRUNTLED Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is adamant a clearer dialogue between club and country would have prevented the injury picked up by striker Daniel Sturridge while on national duty.
Reds forward Sturridge sustained a thigh injury during England training last Friday after playing 88 minutes of the Three Lions’ dismal friendly with Norway at Wembley on the Wednesday evening.
The 25-year-old was subsequently ruled out of England’s victory over Switzerland in their opening Euro 2016 qualifier on Monday and will be sidelined for up to three weeks, something Rodgers believes could have been avoided had the England set-up implemented the Anfield club’s training schedule.
“With Daniel, it would have been a recovery day if he was at Liverpool,” said Rodgers. “It is individualised here and for him to pick up a thigh injury when he did was disappointing for us.
“I speak regularly with Roy Hodgson but he is probably being led by some of the sports science people around him and for whatever reason Dan was deemed able to train.
“Hopefully we can communicate more in the future. We certainly feel it could have been prevented.”
Rodgers will be without his headline striking act when Liverpool host Aston Villa tomorrow, while midfielder Emre Can also returned from Germany Under-21 international duty with an ankle injury.
But it is the blow of losing Sturridge which rankles the Northern Irishman, who is insistent a tailored fitness plan is crucial in the modern game.
Rodgers added: “You can’t throw a blanket over them all and think one recovery fits everyone.”