Liverpool-England Tensions Tightened over Daniel Sturridge Injury Saga

The club versus country debate has been well and truly reignited in the wake of Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge's latest injury.

The fallout

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Following England's 1-0 victory over Norway at Wembley last week, Sturridge sustained a thigh muscle problem during a training session inside his country's camp.

The injury will keep Sturridge out of action for up to three weeks, missing vital Premier League games against Aston Villa and West Ham, Liverpool's opening Champions League fixture against Ludogorets at Anfield next Tuesday, and a League Cup third-round tie at home to Middlesbrough.

He could also end up missing the Merseyside derby against Everton on September 27.

An obviously frustrated Brendan Rodgers took the opportunity in his scheduled press conference ahead of this weekend's football to vent his anger regarding England's handling of Sturridge:

"

Daniel Sturridge could be out for up to three weeks which is disappointing because his injury could have been avoided.

Sturridge’s injury happened on what should have been a recovery day. So for him to pick up an injury when he did was disappointing.

I speak regularly with Roy Hodgson, but not this week. He’s probably been lead by the sport science experts. He shouldn’t have trained.

"

Backing up Rodgers' claim that Sturridge's injury could have been avoided, Chris Bascombe of The Telegraph wrote on Friday that Sturridge himself had asked to sit out of the training session, as per his personal recovery schedule, but was made to play.

"Sturridge has been ruled out for three weeks because he suffered a thigh strain on international duty," Bascombe wrote. "It has emerged the 25-year-old expressed misgivings about participating in an intensive training session on the day he suffered the injury."

For Hodgson to ignore the medical advice of Liverpool and Sturridge is not only naive but also disrespectful.

Hodgson's party put Sturridge's availability for club and country at risk and further strained relationships between club and country.

Liability

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Ultimately, and first and foremost, Sturridge is a Liverpool player. He resides on Merseyside. The club sell his merchandise and pay his wages.

While no one could deny the Birmingham-born forward the opportunity to play for his country, a certain degree of liability has to lie with England.

Hodgson's ability to embrace the modern game has also been called into question, as sport scientists did a great deal of research to develop Sturridge's personal recovery plan.

Hodgson has previously presented a rather blase attitude toward sport science, somewhat laughing it off in an England press conference prior to this year's World Cup:

"

Some of the measurements we have done have been quite important such as things like the players' sweat analysis, not every play sweats the same way and that gives you information on what drink they use for rehydration etc.

We go into great detail in those areas but at at the end of the day you judge players on the performance on the field. These scientific measurements help but I don't think I will get to the stage where I don't pay attention to what happens on the training pitch. I hope I don't get down too scientific a route where I say 'ok Frank sweats too much, he won't play'.

"

With such an old-fashioned attitude toward football, is Hodgson really the right man to be leading the England national team?

What can be done?

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Sturridge's injury has happened, and while Hodgson and England could issue an apology, Liverpool won't hold their breath.

Financial compensation to clubs for players injured while on international duty simply isn't enough.

The real action starts with taking steps to prevent such injuries during future international breaks—and that has to begin with more open lines of communication.

Rodgers used his press conference to suggest just that, telling press, “Hopefully we can communicate with international teams more in the future. We’ve lost [a] player who was outstanding against Spurs.”

A set of confidential agreements between sport scientists and coaches at clubs and countries regarding player training schedules and recovery plans would eliminate the finger-pointing and, more importantly, reduce the chances of injury.

In this case, a legally binding agreement would have prevented Hodgson's camp from overruling Sturridge's misgivings about taking a full training session out of the remit of his recovery plan.

Hodgson's draconian philosophy on football must not be prolonged.