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Tottenham defender Walker reveals Euro 2012 & Olympics woe after injury setbacks
Aug 3, 2012 9:00:00 AM
The 22-year-old right-back was all but set to go to at least one of this summer's major international tournaments but was ruled out through injury, much to his frustration
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| Bet: | Returns: | England £15.00 | Draw £38.00 | Ireland £60.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | England £15.30 | Draw £38.00 | Ireland £65.00 |
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Tottenham defender Kyle Walker has confessed that having to miss out both Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games this summer through injury was very hard to take.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough year at White Hart Lane on his way to being named the Professional Footballers' Association young player of the year and was widely tipped to be England’s first-choice right-back in Poland and Ukraine.
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But, after picking up a broken toe just weeks before the end of the season, Walker had to sit out two major tournaments and he has admitted that it was painful to watch knowing he could have been participating in both.
"It has not been the easiest of summers. It was horrible watching the Euros. I had to watch it at home and it was hard as I really wanted to be out there," Walker explained to The Mirror.
“It was unfortunate the injury came when it did. I felt my form was good and I felt fit and fresh. But sometimes things have happen for a reason.
“It makes you want it even more when something like that is taken away from you.
“I’m still young enough to play in several major tournaments, but you can’t take things for granted. That’s why I was so gutted."
However, the England international did concede that he was excited to be playing under Tottenham’s new head coach Andre Villas-Boas, and that he was raring to go ahead of the upcoming campaign.
He continued: "I’m looking forward to new season."
“It’s a new manager and we have to impress him. We all start from scratch and hope you do enough to play.
“It keeps you on your toes, for sure.”
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Live!
Champions League final - LIVE!
German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.
6:53 PM BST
Carlo Garganese is in the house, so so keep your questions coming on Twitter, folks.
@SaryHishi: Can the Gotze injury determine the outcome in this match ? As in can the injury affect BVB that much ? #UCL
CG: Dortmund are significantly weakened by the injury to Gotze. The youngster is not only crucial offensively, but he also plays a key role in cutting the supply line from deep, as he did so brilliantly against Xabi Alonso when Dortmund played Madrid. Dortmund still have plenty of other weapons, but there is no doubt that they are a stronger side with Gotze in the team.
@SaryHishi: Can the Gotze injury determine the outcome in this match ? As in can the injury affect BVB that much ? #UCL
CG: Dortmund are significantly weakened by the injury to Gotze. The youngster is not only crucial offensively, but he also plays a key role in cutting the supply line from deep, as he did so brilliantly against Xabi Alonso when Dortmund played Madrid. Dortmund still have plenty of other weapons, but there is no doubt that they are a stronger side with Gotze in the team.
6:49 PM BST
Fair to say that our man Jay Jaffa is really savouring the atmosphere at Wembley right now:
"Just off Wembley Way I've found a Bayern 'area', if you can call it that. A mass of red-shirted fans are lapping up the last of the sunshine and having a sing-song. On the opposite side of Wembley, Dortmund have an official brass band smashing out A-Ha's 1985 classic 'Take On Me', while a group of insanely talented ball jugglers entertain the passers by. It's ramping up now, more folk are filling the walkways and it truly feels like the Champions League final. Not long now ... "
Couldn't agree more with Jay: the excitement really is building; and 'Take On Me' was indeed a classic. Indeed, if the 1980s gave us nothing else (and other than Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful Milan side, they didn't!), they did at least provide us with a pop song as brilliant as its video - a rare occurrence in the music world.
"Just off Wembley Way I've found a Bayern 'area', if you can call it that. A mass of red-shirted fans are lapping up the last of the sunshine and having a sing-song. On the opposite side of Wembley, Dortmund have an official brass band smashing out A-Ha's 1985 classic 'Take On Me', while a group of insanely talented ball jugglers entertain the passers by. It's ramping up now, more folk are filling the walkways and it truly feels like the Champions League final. Not long now ... "
Couldn't agree more with Jay: the excitement really is building; and 'Take On Me' was indeed a classic. Indeed, if the 1980s gave us nothing else (and other than Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful Milan side, they didn't!), they did at least provide us with a pop song as brilliant as its video - a rare occurrence in the music world.
6:40 PM BST
And now the Bayern line-up! The only small surprise here is that Jerome Boateng has been preferred to Daniel van Buyten alongside Dante at the heart of the defence. As expected, Mario Mandzukic has got the nod up front ahead of Mario Gomez.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic.
6:36 PM BST
Borussia Dortmund have announced their starting line-up for tonight's Champions League final!! And it's as we predicted, with Kevin Grosskreutz starting on the left-hand side and Marco Reus moving infield to fill the void left by the injured Mario Gotze.
Dortmund XI v Bayern: Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Bender; Blaszczykowski, Reus, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski.
Dortmund XI v Bayern: Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Bender; Blaszczykowski, Reus, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski.
6:31 PM BST
Questions rolling in for our own Carlo Garganese over on Twitter, the most left-field of which comes 'I'm Moeg, Sien jy! @MurGyver 34s', who writes:
"Is it true that players can't wear underwear in the final?"
Surely you have to log on now for no other reason than to find out the answer to that cracking enquiry?!
"Is it true that players can't wear underwear in the final?"
Surely you have to log on now for no other reason than to find out the answer to that cracking enquiry?!
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