Shane Prolonged faces a race in opposition to time to be match for the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 play-off matches versus Estonia next month soon after a scan showed he has experienced serious bone bruising and a modest bone chip, within his appropriate knee, as a result of Alan Hutton’s problem at Villa Park on Saturday.
Despite the fact that West Bromwich Albion set out a statement saying Prolonged faces up to six weeks on the sidelines, it is comprehended that the player has refused to rule out the probability of staying back again for the first leg in opposition to Estonia, in Tallinn, on eleven November. The 2nd leg in Dublin requires spot 4 days later and Long is determined to be concerned.
With Robbie Keane struggling to recover from a thigh harm and Kevin Doyle suspended for the very first match towards Estonia, Long’s injuries could not have can come at a worse time for Giovanni Trapattoni, the Ireland manager. Jon Walters, the Stoke Town striker, and Simon Cox, Long’s Albion crew-mate, could be asked to form a makeshift partnership up front.
Lengthy remains aggrieved that Phil Dowd, the referee at Villa Park on Saturday, failed to punish Hutton for what Roy Hodgson, the Albion supervisor, described as a “wicked challenge”. Dowd did not even award a totally free-kick and was also concerned in a contentious decision later on in the very first 50 percent, when Villa’s Chris Herd was dismissed subsequent an altercation with Jonas Olsson. The official is anticipated to be dropped from the Premier League match checklist this weekend.
