Rio crisis rocks World Cup hopes

England squad in turmoil

ENGLAND’S World Cup hopes are heading for meltdown.

Next Tuesday’s qualifier in Montenegro was always going to be critical after the draw with Poland in October.

But the task ahead is getting tougher by the day.

Roy Hodgson’s squad was already ravaged by injuries before Rio Ferdinand’s controversial withdrawal yesterday.

And with other players out of form and struggling to get game time, Hodgson is staring at the nuclear scenario that the Three Lions may not qualify for Brazil.

The road to Rio is a very long one indeed — and full of potholes.
While San Marino will surely be swatted aside on Friday night, Montenegro are no pushovers — as England found out during the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, drawing both home and away.

A point in Podgorica next Tuesday would still leave England chasing their tails. While defeat would probably mean having to scrap it out just to earn a play-off place.

Remember the despair through the barren years of the 1970s as England missed out on West Germany 74 and Argentina 78? There followed the pain of failing to qualify for USA 94 and, most recently, Euro 2008.

The shambles over Ferdinand’s call-up and subsequent withdrawal has exposed England’s frailties.

Hodgson did not want to select Ferdinand, 34 — he wanted to move on with younger players. But he was left with no choice but to turn to the veteran centre-back.
Now, a quick scan through Hodgson’s 25-man party sends shivers through the spine. Look at the keepers — Joe Hart, once considered invincible, has been repeatedly questioned by his own manager Roberto Mancini this season about his performances.

And his deputy, Ben Foster, is someone Hodgson begged to return to the fold after the West Brom keeper decided he did not want to be involved any more.

Defence is a nightmare. Tottenham’s Michael Dawson had never been chosen by Hodgson. But his absence with the hamstring injury he suffered on Sunday was a serious blow — even before Ferdinand pulled out.

Joleon Lescott was drafted in to replace him, even though Hodgson had already expressed concern that he had not been playing enough first-team football at Manchester City.

Lescott has made just 11 Premier League starts this season — his last on February 9 — and he was an unused sub in the 2-0 defeat at Everton on Saturday.

Strangely, Hodgson picked Ferdinand’s team-mate Chris Smalling, who has made fewer Premier League starts — nine — than Lescott.

Spurs’ Steven Caulker has been elevated from the Under-21s after only one England appearance — although he did score in the 4-2 friendly defeat to Sweden in November.

Meanwhile, there have been concerns for months about the form of Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill, who looked second-best to Ferdinand in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United earlier this month.

Just to add to Hodgson’s problems, Cahill tweaked his knee against West Ham on Sunday.

In midfield, it is only marginally less worrying. Arsenal’s decision to take Jack Wilshere out of the firing line because of the danger of his ankle injury recurring has hit England hard.

Wilshere missed 17 months with the problem and the Gunners have to manage him carefully.

He was magnificent in the 2-1 win over Brazil last month and there were high hopes he would be the fulcrum of the England midfield for the rest of the qualifying campaign.

But it is not to be and it is clear England cannot bank on Wilshere — even if they make it to Brazil.

Hodgson has also lost experienced winger Aaron Lennon, who was showing encouraging signs of a return to his best. But a groin strain has left him on the sidelines.

United winger Ashley Young has had a low-key season and been troubled by injury, while Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has made only 11 league starts and spent a lot of time on the subs’ bench.

Up front, Wayne Rooney — with 33 goals in 79 England appearances — remains Hodgson’s main man and one in whom the boss has total faith.

But he has not enjoyed a vintage season, with questions being asked about whether his golden years are behind him. A fortnight ago, Rooney was left out of the United side for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid — which they lost.

Manager Alex Ferguson angrily denied suggestions Rooney could be approaching the end of his United career. But he is no longer an automatic first-choice for his club.

Hodgson, however — like Fabio Capello before him — is obsessed with Rooney and believes he is his best player.

Rooney, of course, was sent off during that Euro qualifier in Montenegro in October 2011 — and Hodgson will remind him he needs to keep his head this time around.

But you can understand why the manager has such belief in the United striker.

Rooney has scored four goals in his last three outings for his country — two against San Marino and one against Poland and Brazil.

Not for the first time, England’s chances will be resting on Roo.