Injury Prone England XI

After contemplating England’s defensive frailties over the years and trying to decide who would fill the gaps left by the international retirements of Terry and Ferdinand for the forthcoming World Cup, it got me thinking about some of the fantastic players that just never full filled their potential due to injury. Would King and Woodgate have been at the heart of England’s back four for the last 10 years had it not been for debilitating injuries that just wouldn’t go away?

But what other talent across the park throughout the premier league years left us England fans thinking what if, injury had not defined their careers?! Below is my all-time 11 of injury prone English players:

GK Chris Kirkland

LB Rob Jones
RB Wes Brown
CB Jon Woodgate
CB Ledley King

LM Kieron Dyer
RM Darren Anderton
CM Jamie Redknapp
CM Owen Hargreaves

CF Dean Ashton
CF Michael Owen

Ultimately my vote for the most wasted English talent due to injury has to go to Owen Hargreaves, an excellently technical footballer who could read the game so well, brought up on the German culture of keeping the ball but using it effectively he promised so much but unfortunately in recent years, both hamstring and knee complaints have seen him move as a free transfer twice, as clubs cut their losses on his wage bill.

What other injury prone players am I missing from my list and do you agree with my XI? How far do you think some of the above could of gone in the game if it wasn’t for their injuries? Dean Ashton for example had so much promise at club level, breaks into the England side and then has to retire in his mid-20's, could he be leading the line for England in Brazil this summer if he hadn’t had to call it a day?

Deano would be sitting there, laughing at Lambert trying to scrape into the squad. We'd be asking "who should play with Deano, Sturridge or Rooney?"

God I miss Deano

Only 30 is Dean Ashton - what a loss of talent.

As for other injury prone players - Gazza and Bryan Robson?

Ha! Think Redknapp got a long term injury everytime he played for England

Biased as a spurs fan but Anderton was a wizard with the ball at his feet, fantastic technical ability and set piece taker, his goal against Sweden was a joy to behold, volly in off both posts! Should have had over 50 caps for England if it wasn't for injury.

VDT wrote:Ha! Think Redknapp got a long term injury everytime he played for England

I remember him coming on against Scotland at Euro 96 and changing the game, everyone was raving about how excellent he was and how he was future of Englands center mid, before the game could even finish he was carried off, on crutches and out for six months! Poor bloke!

MtotheC wrote:

VDT wrote:Ha! Think Redknapp got a long term injury everytime he played for England

I remember him coming on against Scotland at Euro 96 and changing the game, everyone was raving about how excellent he was and how he was future of Englands center mid, before the game could even finish he was carried off, on crutches and out for six months! Poor bloke!

Think in a friendly against South Africa he may of broke his foot or something!

Ledley King for me. I genuinely think he'd have been the centre half of his generation. He was coolness personified and could read the game like no other.

Ashton is a great shout though. Can't recall, but what were his injury problems again? Was it one nasty one or was it a culmination of loads that forced him into retirement?

Never recovered from SWP smashing his ankle to bits in training after his first England call up. He came back a few times but it just never healed

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Never recovered from SWP smashing his ankle to bits in training after his first England call up. He came back a few times but it just never healed

And to think SWP is about half his size too

I can think of a number of players who I WISH had gotten a long term injury about the time they broke into the England team.  Carlton Palmer for one.  He got 18 caps for England when three minutes as a sub in stoppage time of a friendly against Gibraltar would have told us all we needed to know never to select him again.

Ledley King would easily be our best Center Back for the last 10 years or so, if he had 2 knees. He is class, such a shame, a real shame.

Oh don't get me started on Dean Ashton, what a player

Hargreaves was our best player in 06 in Germany, guy was a very good player who couldve allowed Gerrard/Lampard to push on ahead

Hargreaves was class, that free kick for United that time was amazing!!!

However i thought Joe Cole was our best player at the 06 World Cup.

Olly wrote:Oh don't get me started on Dean Ashton, what a player

Im still not over his career ending

Dean Ashton is not a bad commentator - there's life after football . . . . .

I would add Kevin Beattie to this list, of players who would surely have enjoyed a long England career; great player, lost to injuries far too young.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:

Olly wrote:Oh don't get me started on Dean Ashton, what a player

Im still not over his career ending

He played in a charity game I went to at the end of last season, hit a 25 harder into the top corner despite barely being able to move. If only

There are people down at West Ham who consider him easily better than Tevez. Andy Carroll is oft lamented as just not being Dean Ashton.

kwinigolfer wrote:Dean Ashton is not a bad commentator - there's life after football . . . . .

I would add Kevin Beattie to this list, of players who would surely have enjoyed a long England career; great player, lost to injuries far too young.

Beattie could have been the greatest english defender of all time

TopoftheChops wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Dean Ashton is not a bad commentator - there's life after football . . . . .

I would add Kevin Beattie to this list, of players who would surely have enjoyed a long England career; great player, lost to injuries far too young.

Beattie could have been the greatest english defender of all time

People who saw Billy Wright or Bobby Moore may disagree.

It's easy to say so-and-so would have been a great talent and they may be right but the bottom line is that, for whatever reason, it didn't happen.   Kevin Beattie was a very fine young player and it is a shame that he was unable to fulfil his potential for reasons beyond his control.

In the end, the only thing we can be sure of is that those who stayed injury free and made the most of their opportunities were the lucky ones.  Their name shall liveth forevermore and the unfortunate Kevin Beatties, Dean Ashtons and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all are relegated to the "What If's" of the game.


Here's a "What If" for you.   Back in the 60's, two young mates who played in the same youth team in Arbroath, Scotland, had the chance to come south for a trial with a professional club.  One got on the train but the other missed it because he fell ill with mumps.   The first, Alan Campbell, made it.  He had a professional career with Charlton, Birmingham City and Carlisle United.  He played at Under 23 level for Scotland.   The other joined the navy.  I served with him and we played in the same unit team (which is how I know the story).  For my money, he was the better player of the two.  

Billy Livingstone missed the boat because of illness.  Not a broken leg or a torn hamstring or a snapped cruciate ligament.  Bloody mumps, of all things..!!

What if........ what if...........

Works both ways, I feel a lot of people are over rated because of their injuries (Ledley king).

Hargreaves was a miss, won league titles and the cl in Germany and England. Plus a great performance at a World Cup.

Lion your bang on but 'whats' & 'if's' are the nature of this debate.

Here's one for you all that I mentioned in the OP... 'If' Woodgate and King had remained fit, which CB pairing from the below four options would have featured in Englands defense over the last 10 years?

Terry/Ferdinand/Woodgate/King

Terry and Ferdinand

Because they were the better players

I agree with Ent on Ledley King tbh

If anyone thinks Ledley King is overrated, they know nothing about football.

He was underrated IMO. If fully it, would of easily started with Terry at the back ahead of Rio, who is overrated.

How you rate ledley king

The barometer for all football knowledge

Olly wrote:How you rate ledley king

The barometer for all football knowledge

And how you rate Matthew Upson, in all probability...