Injuries force Roeder rethink

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder was today attempting to put together a squad for Thursday night’s UEFA Cup trip with 11 names on the casualty list.

Midfielders Kieron Dyer, who spent Sunday night in hospital after gashing his thigh during the 1-0 Barclays Premiership victory over Portsmouth, and Scott Parker have already been ruled out of the party which will head for Eintracht Frankfurt tomorrow.

And they could yet be joined by James Milner and Charles N’Zogbia as they undergo treatment for hip and shin injuries respectively.

With Michael Owen, Shola Ameobi, Craig Moore, Damien Duff, Tim Krul and Olivier Bernard all absent with long-term injuries and Steve Harper having flown to Germany for surgery on a double hernia, Roeder could be forced to give youth a chance at the Commerzbank Arena.

Youngsters Paul Huntington, Andrew Carroll, David Edgar and James Troisi were all on the bench for the 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo last week, and could be joined on the plane tomorrow by keeper Fraser Forster as the Magpies look for the point they need to ensure finishing at the top of Group H.

Roeder said: “Scott Parker has had a scan on his back and it has shown he has a strained muscle.

“While it is difficult to say how long he will be out of action, he will not be with us in Frankfurt.

“Kieron Dyer will not be going to Germany either. His leg was so bad with lacerations that he spent Sunday night in hospital having the wound cleaned, and there is no way he will be able to play in Frankfurt on Thursday night.

“Steve Harper is already in Germany, and while we would like to have waited until after Thursday’s match for him to have his operation, he has a double hernia and the medical experts have advised us that he should have his operation as soon as possible.

“That means that all our three keepers – Shay Given, Steve and Tim Krul - will have had big operations this season, and we are still only in November.

“We have had six players having had major operations so far.

“It also means that for the second trip into Europe, we will have a teenage keeper with us in the shape of Fraser Forster, who will be on the bench to cover for Shay Given on Thursday night.

“But my take on injuries is always that if a player is missing, then it gives someone else a chance – and everybody knows what happened to Tim Krul in our last trip aboard to Palermo.”

Dutchman Krul performed heroics in Sicily as his side clinched the second of their three successive wins in the group, but has since had an operation to repair a damaged knee cartilage.

N’Zogbia could be available, while Milner has an outside chance, but Giuseppe Rossi, who has returned from compassionate leave, is ineligible.

Left-back Celestine Babayaro has recovered from a groin injury, but is unlikely to be ready for the trip to Germany.

Meanwhile, coach Lee Clark has hit out at Pompey boss Harry Redknapp and television pundit Mark Lawrenson over comments they made before and after Sunday’s game.

Clark said: “It’s not Glenn Roeder’s style to moan about injuries, nor is it his style to make adverse comments about other clubs and their managers, and Harry Redknapp should do the same.

“Since Glenn took over, he has beaten Portsmouth three times, and Harry should look at his own club and keep his nose out of our business.

“Glenn Roeder will not answer Harry Redknapp or Mark Lawrenson or anyone else back because that is not his style.

“But do not take that as a weakness because after all he has been through, he is mentally tougher than all of them.”