Beckham back for England but Terry fitness doubts mount
David Beckham returned to training with England but fears John Terry could be ruled out of the Euro 2004 opener against France mounted as the Chelsea defender was forced to miss the squad's first workout in Portugal.
David Beckham returned to training with England but fears John Terry could be ruled out of the Euro 2004 opener against France mounted as the Chelsea defender was forced to miss the squad's first workout in Portugal.
Terry, who missed England's final warm-up match against Iceland with a hamstring strain, appeared briefly at the start of the morning session with his left thigh heavily strapped.
But the Chelsea centre-back did not join in with his team-mates, even for their gentle warm-up routine, suggesting his emergence at Portugal's national stadium was strictly for appearances' sake.
An England spokesman said later that Terry had undergone a scan.
"John Terry had an MRI scan this evening and the good news is that it revealed no muscle damage," he said.
"He will continue aggressive rehabilitation work but he remains in the balance for the France match."
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who is badly short of cover at centre-back, had hoped the 23-year-old would be fit enough to undergo a full training session on Tuesday.
Even if his injury heals sufficiently for him to be able to play against France, Terry could find himself short of fitness having been out of action since he was substituted near the end of the 1-1 draw with Japan a week ago.
Terry's importance to England has been increased by the loss of Rio Ferdinand, who is banned from playing after missing a doping test, and Jonathan Woodgate and Gareth Southgate, both of whom are injured.
If Terry does not make it, his position alongside Sol Campbell is expected to be taken by Liverpool's Jamie Carragher, who has spent most of his career at fullback.
Campbell partnered Carragher for the first half of the Iceland match but the prospect of playing an untested combination against France's intimidating strike force of Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet is not one Eriksson will relish.
Michael Owen however insisted England need have no worries about his Liverpool team-mate Carragher's ability to adapt, presuming he gets the nod ahead of Ledley King should Terry be ruled out.
"Jamie is one of the most intelligent players you can have," Owen said. "If you said to him to go and play in midfield or up front, it would take him two seconds to settle in."
"He can play any position on the pitch but a lot of people think his best position is as a centre-half. He played it a bit towards the back end of year and did very well so I'd have no worries about him playing centre-half."
There was better news for Eriksson on the Beckham front with the England skipper appearing relaxed and pain-free as he led his team-mates in a gentle jog round the stadium where, in 1967, Celtic became the first British club to lift the European Cup when they beat Inter Milan.
Beckham had been unable to exercise on Sunday and Monday after having an injection to remove an inflamed cyst from his back in Manchester on Saturday.
The Real Madrid midfielder underwent the procedure after playing in the first half of England's 6-1 win over Iceland, a victory which has generated a wave of optimism that the national side can beat France and go on to win the tournament.