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England new boy Bobby Zamora: I wouldn't have done myself or country justice if I'd gone to World Cup 2010
Striker also can't see swift Mark Hughes exit...
10 Aug 2010 14:37:00
By Matt Monaghan
England new boy Bobby Zamora has insisted it was the right decision to rule himself out of World Cup 2010 through injury.
The Fulham front man was expected to be named in manager Fabio Capello's provisional 30-man squad after a stellar season. This move was shot down at the last moment after he went under the surgeon's knife on an Achilles tendon problem after his club's Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Speaking to reporters at the Three Lions' training camp after receiving his first call-up for the friendly against Hungary, Zamora revealed that he told general manager Franco Baldini he wasn't fit to travel to South Africa.
He said: "I spoke to Franco about being in the squad but unfortunately it was one of those things that happens in football when you get an injury.
"I wouldn't have done myself justice or my country if I had gone with the squad. The operation was needed that I had over the summer."
Zamora's decision to stay at home put him out of the firing line after the nation's dire performance. He believed, however, that England shouldn't be singled out for criticism after teams like France and Italy also flopped.
"[It was a] Very tough tournament. There was a lot of other major countries that didn't do as well as they'd expect.
"There's no easy games in international football any more. The small countries you'd expect to thrash, that doesn't happen any more.
"I think everyone has to remember that."
The centre forward was also shocked at reports manager Mark Hughes was set to jump ship to Aston Villa just weeks after replacing Roy Hodgson at Craven Cottage.
"I can't see him leaving. That doesn't even come into my head to be honest," Zamora stated.
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The Fulham front man was expected to be named in manager Fabio Capello's provisional 30-man squad after a stellar season. This move was shot down at the last moment after he went under the surgeon's knife on an Achilles tendon problem after his club's Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Speaking to reporters at the Three Lions' training camp after receiving his first call-up for the friendly against Hungary, Zamora revealed that he told general manager Franco Baldini he wasn't fit to travel to South Africa.
He said: "I spoke to Franco about being in the squad but unfortunately it was one of those things that happens in football when you get an injury.
"I wouldn't have done myself justice or my country if I had gone with the squad. The operation was needed that I had over the summer."
Zamora's decision to stay at home put him out of the firing line after the nation's dire performance. He believed, however, that England shouldn't be singled out for criticism after teams like France and Italy also flopped.
"[It was a] Very tough tournament. There was a lot of other major countries that didn't do as well as they'd expect.
"There's no easy games in international football any more. The small countries you'd expect to thrash, that doesn't happen any more.
"I think everyone has to remember that."
The centre forward was also shocked at reports manager Mark Hughes was set to jump ship to Aston Villa just weeks after replacing Roy Hodgson at Craven Cottage.
"I can't see him leaving. That doesn't even come into my head to be honest," Zamora stated.
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