Frank Lampard will now miss Euro 2012 because of a thigh injury sustained in training. This is a huge disappointment for the player himself but it also throws into sharp relief the shallowness of the current England squad. Jordan Henderson, called up to replace Lampard, has had a troubled first season at Liverpool. He is young and still has plenty of time to develop but, in reality, he finds himself in the squad by being one of the last English midfielders standing.
Gareth Barry has also withdrawn because of injury while Manchester United duo Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes have made themselves unavailable for different reasons. Jack Wilshere was never a viable option because he has played so little football of late. That Henderson will join his Liverpool teammate Stewart Downing, another whose form was widely derided, only underlines the paucity of resources available to manager Roy Hodgson.
Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker will now have to shoulder the midfield responsibility. Arguably the latter is the form player coming into the tournament but Gerrard has the experience and still possess the aura of a game changer, even if this is somewhat diminished relative to what it used to be. One of the small mercies of Lampard missing out is that it will spare the public those tedious and well rehearsed debates about whether Lampard and Gerrard can operate effectively together. But this is small compensation for the loss incurred.
Lampard, even if not guaranteed to feature regularly, was coming into the tournament in fine form and buoyed with confidence after playing an integral role in helping Chelsea win the Champions League. He was also one of the few England players who could secure some respect from those elsewhere in the United Kingdom. A squad containing players like Ashley Cole, John Terry and Wayne Rooney doesn’t inspire sympathy and affection but Lampard is widely respected both for the way he plays the game and for how he handles himself off the pitch.
His withdrawal has inevitably led to speculation that his England career will also come to an end but this is possibly premature and he has indicated that he has no plans to announce his retirement on the back of this set-back. He was quoted on the BBC Sport website as saying: ‘I don’t see myself retiring or taking myself out of it in the near future. But I’m no fool and I know that age is a factor and, at international level, you don’t go on forever.’ This was an admirably honest assessment and characteristic of his professionalism. A prominent role in the qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil may seem unlikely for a number of reasons, not the least of which is his age, but much will depend on Hodgson’s intentions and Lampard’s own performances at club level.
If Roberto Di Matteo is given the Chelsea job on a permanent basis then it seems likely that Lampard will continue to feature heavily, based on his rehabilitation since the Italian took over on a temporary basis. A Frank Lampard performing slightly below his own high standards would surely still merit serious consideration for inclusion in future England squads. Lampard will turn 36 in June 2014 but his professionalism, dedication and undeniable quality would suggest that it is premature to start writing the obituaries.
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