Football: Parker fit for England

LONDON: Scott Parker is fit for England’s final Euro 2012 warm-up against Belgium to be held today, handing coach Roy Hodgson a much-needed boost after his midfield was ravaged by injury. Experienced duo Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry have both been ruled out of this month’s tournament in Ukraine and Poland and British media reports had said Parker was a doubt with a nagging Achilles problem. “No not particularly,” Hodgson told a news conference yesterday when asked if Parker’s fitness troubled him ahead of their Group D opener against France in Donetsk on June 11.”He is available to play tomorrow. By the time we play France, people will be in good physical shape.” Hodgson, who has drafted Jordan Henderson into the squad to replace Lampard, hinted that Parker would partner captain Steven Gerrard in midfield against Belgium, while Chelsea defenders Ashley Cole, John Terry and Gary Cahill will all start.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2012.