Venables rules Fowler out of trip to Malaga

ROBBIE FOWLER has been ruled out of Leeds boss Terry Venables’ plans for the UEFA Cup third-round clash in Malaga tomorrow.

There had been hope that following his latest successful comeback in the reserves on Monday night, scoring in a 1-1 draw against Sunderland, Fowler would be on the plane to southern Spain for the first leg.

Fowler, who required hip surgery in the summer following his return from the World Cup, had played just 68 minutes of reserve team football this season prior to Monday night.

But that was five weeks ago as he later suffered another problem with his hip which led to a longer-than-expected spell on the sidelines, and it is due to lack of fitness Fowler is being left behind. The same applies to Seth Johnson, who also made his comeback from injury in the reserves last night.

Mark Viduka is also out after failing to shake off the foot injury he sustained late on in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat against Spurs, while Danny Mills is also absent with the ankle problem picked up in training last week. Ian Harte returns and Paul Okon is available to make his debut after being hit injuries since his free summer transfer from Middlesbrough but Venables only has 17 players to choose from, leaving him one short on the bench.

Teddy Lucic is ineligible after playing for AIK Solna in the qualifying round of the competition, and remains at home with the injured Dominic Matteo, Lucas Radebe, Olivier Dacourt, Nick Barmby and David Batty. Good news for Venables, though, is Malaga are without injured Uruguay international striker Dario Silva and suspended midfielder Gerardo.

Silva sustained cartilage damage in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Alaves and is likely to be out for three weeks, which means he will also miss the return leg at Elland Road on December 12.

Meanwhile, Venables has criticised as ‘‘not helpful’’ the war of words between chairman Peter Ridsdale and former manager David O’Leary.

The feud reared its ugly head again at the weekend, with O’Leary claiming he was in no way to blame for Leeds’ current demise after Ridsdale had previously suggested the current decline started under the Irishman.

It is a spat which has done little to aid Venables’ cause in the face of a growing crisis on and off the field.

Clearly the cracks which Venables has previously spoken of are widening as he said: ‘‘There are lots of problem areas around the club which don’t help, but they are the things you sometimes have to deal with.

‘‘I mean the chairman has had a lot of publicity. Of course he and David O’Leary seem to constantly have this battle, which is not helpful.”