Joe Hart: Stop waiting for my England clanger

JOE HART insists he will not live in fear of becoming England’s latest cockup keeper.

Read Full Story

Have Your Shout

Tottenham's Van Der Vaart signing cleared by FA

RAFAEL VAN DER VAART was last night finally cleared to complete his shock £8m move to Tottenham.

Read Full Story

Have Your Shout

Manchester City's Gareth Barry joins winter break calls

GARETH BARRY yesterday called for a winter break after admitting England were knackered at the World Cup.

Read Full Story

Have Your Shout

Get posting in the Star Forums!

You can join the debate and post your own views in the lively Daily Star Forums!

‘GERROFF GERRO’ PLEA TO CAPELLO

ABOVE: Rafa does not want Gerrard to play against brazil

8th November 2009

By Steve Millar

Your Shout ( 0 )

RAFA Benitez has begged England boss Fabio Capello NOT to pick Steven Gerrard against Brazil.

The Liverpool boss could risk his skipper against Birmingham tomorrow night but he doesn’t want Capello to take the same gamble.

Capello names his squad tonight for Saturday’s friendly against Brazil in Qatar and might be tempted to take Gerrard, who was crocked on England duty last month.

But Benitez will fight any call-up for Gerrard with his medical staff insisting he’s not fully recovered from a groin injury.

Gerrard has told Benitez he’s improving and yesterday morning stepped up his recovery regime in training.

The star will push himself again today hoping at least to be on the subs’ bench against Birmingham.

Benitez doesn’t want Glen Johnson involved in this latest England squad either, and has told Spain that striker Fernando Torres should stay with Liverpool to recover from his groin problem.

The Kop boss said: “I don’t see the point of taking a player who has not trained with his team for 15 days.

“He (Gerrard) can be available for Monday but he will not be fit. I would advise England not to pick him in the squad.

“You can’t pick players who aren’t 100 per cent fit. It’s common sense.

“My concern is Birmingham. When you need to perform sometimes you have to take a risk. Maybe Stevie will be on the bench and we can use him.

“Stevie has already told me that he’s improving his fitness.”

Benitez is desperate to field his top guns even though they’re not fully fit as he tries to halt a run which has seen Liverpool win just one of their last eight games.

He added: “Maybe this is the most stressful time I have had but you have to carry on and do your job.

“I have confidence in my team, my staff and a lot of confidence in the fans.

“It’s a question of winning one or two games in a row, then everything will be different.”

» MORE 'FOOTBALL' HERE...