STEVIE AND JAMIE IN USA TOUR KOP OUT
Daily Mirror 10 May 2005
LIVERPOOL are on a dramatic collision course with the FA as Anfield boss Rafael Benitez prepares to defy Sven Goran Eriksson and pull Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher out of England's summer tour to America.
And that will open the floodgates for other clubs to follow suit in a bid to protect their top stars - throwing England's plans into chaos.
Real Madrid's Michael Owen and David Beckham are already unavailable for the start of the tour at the end of May, and Chelsea pair Frank Lampard and John Terry will miss the trip because they require surgery on foot injuries.
First-choice keeper Paul Robinson of Spurs is also crocked and now Manchester United almost certainly face a Champions League qualifying round, Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to want Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and the Neville brothers to stay at home.
Arsenal's Arsene Wenger says Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell should skip the tour, while Manchester City's Stuart Pearce wants Shaun Wright-Phillips to avoid burn-out and do the same.
Even Graeme Souness says his Newcastle pair Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas need a rest too.
There have been complaints about the timing of the tour from a number of top Premiership clubs, with Manchester United boss Ferguson a particularly vociferous critic.
So far, though, no one has taken a stand and declared their players unavailable, but Liverpool will do so if Eriksson sticks to his plans and tries to take the two Anfield players for the second game against Columbia on May 31. Liverpool face AC Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on May 25, and England are scheduled to fly out to the States the following day.
Clearly, the pair can not make that flight and if Liverpool win the final their club is planning a celebration on May 28 to parade around the city.
But if Eriksson sticks to his demands, then they would be forced to miss what would be one of the biggest celebrations in the club's history to fly half way round the world for a meaningless friendly.
Benitez will not allow that to happen, particularly because he feels his players need a rest before a World Cup year.
And if he makes a stand, then other Premiership clubs are sure to followsuit, which would make the tour of the States completely meaningless.
Liverpool will enter into discussions with the FA this week to try and resolve the problem, but it is clear that both Gerrard and Carragher will be pulled out of the summer tour.
Carragher been an ever-present for Liverpool this season, apart from the early rounds of the Carling Cup when he was rested as the club progressed to the final. In all, he has played 52 matches this season.
Gerrard has played 12 fewer, but his all-action style in the midfield is even more demanding.
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