Delph withdraws from England squad

I wasn't too happy he'd been called up anyway. With his injury record his game time needs careful management.

So he played to the end of the Burnley game with a hammy?! really!

He's badly needed for the West Ham game. I hope it's just a knock and Delph is being cautious knowing his club cannot afford to lose him for a prolonged period if he aggravates the injury. If it is an actual long term injury, ie he's properly pulled or even torn his hamstring (and no evidence of that on the pitch) then we're screwed. Desperately need his leadership right now. He's one who will stand up and be counted.

At least there is a chance he may be ready for the West Ham game, getting a England call was one in the sky for a player that needed to concentrate on his Premier League fitness. Hope he didn't continue to play though injuried in the Burnley game.

Good- our need is greater at the moment.

Getting better all the time - NOT !

The 2 games Delph has withdrawn from offer England none or little competition. Yet, the premier league has been closed down for 2 weeks. This farcical situation has to be changed with all internationals being played at the end of the season. Not during it.

Different type of player and better quality player than McCarthy and Gibson but this is sounding very Everton.

Steavey, you want to play all internationals at the end of the season?

Have you a proposal of how you'd manage this?

This was always going to be the main worry with Delph.

Good player he is, he's never going to be injury free just as Gibson or Duncan Ferguson were never, a player is just either injury prone or they are not.

Delph would have been great next to Gana, he needs mobility and legs next to him, partnering Schneiderlin or Gomes just isn't the answer.

Shane, already there are international matches at the end of the season with meaningless friendlies and half-hearted players. The Premier League and Champions League are now far more important than injury-prone, travel-wasting, energy-sapping and meaningless international matches.

Bulgaria v England? Even the locals prefer watching the Premier League than Bulgaria.

Why not shut the leagues down in the winter? Most leagues implement a winter break anyway. There's then a 4 week break, extended to 6 weeks, and cram all the internationals in then. 2 games a week for 4 weeks, so 8 internationals. The countries benefit from getting more of a club spirit and togetherness. The internationals have 2 weeks before their next league game to get ready. It gets rid of the stop start nature of the Leagues and moves England in line with most other leagues.

It'd be easy for UEFA to do, but FIFA would need to get on board or it would not work. I'm sure TV would snap up the rights more if there was more of a club feel to these games and more at stake. They could even revamp the World and Euro Qualifications to take advantage.

File it under hairbrained idea, but thinking on what Stevie said, and moving this to the winter makes sense to me.

While I hardly think all of our troubles can be laid at the feet of Gomes getting injured, he and Delph looked excellent together against Wolves, and haven't gotten to play together since. It would be fitting for how this season has gone so far if Delph were to get hurt the moment Gomes returns.

A shame for Delph but his injury record over the last few years has been shocking.

This is what I was afraid of may happen but I'm optimistic this "injury" (wink, wink) simply needs rest.

Jeez - hope this is just a strain and nothing else. Two weeks rest will do him a lot of good.

I like Delph as a player and think he can improve Everton. I was hoping, because of his injury problems the last couple of years, that he would retire from International football and concentrate on staying fit for Everton.

I feel bad for Delph. Nice to see him get some recognition and he seems to be a true professional. Heal quickly and fully Fabian.

Let's s hope this is not a tear or pulled muscle, as he shows more care, Seamus aside, than the rest of the players combined.

Typical Everton twist but let's stay positive, and rally regardless for the battles ahead.

I love the term “meaningless friendly”. When are the meaningful friendlies played? The ones where international managers get a chance to blood some young players and try out new systems etc?

International football lost it's way when huge amounts of money found their way into league clubs and European club football. Professional footballers can retire with millions in the bank and become global household names. All that international football is doing is burdening professional players with more games to play when they have already played 50+ games for the clubs and another 10 for their countries.

Something has to give, and it won't be league or European football, because clubs are providing super star wages and the opportunity to play with and against other superstar players.

Brent, @2, my thoughts entirely on that scenario, I like Delph but he seems to pick up injuries very easily, he wasn't exactly our MVP on Saturday, and didn't have a good game at all.

Steve @12, again a mirror of my thoughts and has been for a long time. The Club v Country argument has been going on for years, these International Breaks are so disruptive, and all with the chance that those involved, could pick up that unwanted injury, further affecting bread and butter football.

Like you suggest why not have a one-time long break, where they can play all their International matches? Of course the injury scenario, could still occur, but as always these have to be accommodated by the parent Club. It's even more annoying when they are only Friendlies!

Steve@12 looking at our December fixtures I think it would be a great idea to cancel those fixtures.

A winter break or at least a few weeks break would be ideal, but then you would see most teams going on a meaningless tour to try to promote and please their sponsors.

Hope he's not out too long or will mean more game time for that awful frenchman

The tail is wagging the dog, especially with EUFA.

They've now got two competitions going that are filling their pockets.

The clubs pay their wages and gain not very much from internationals, they need to get together and stand up to these "Governing Bodies".

I would like to see the seasons that the World and the European cups are played start/finish a month early, all qualifiers are played in the month at the end of the season, after that they have rest and then go to the tournament.

The odd friendly now and again, but nothing more.

Of course I'm dreaming it will never happen the cash cow is being milked.

Rob, I've seen a few write EUFA rather than UEFA, was that a previous abbreviation or something?

More like: European Union Football Asscociatons

It's just a slip up, I've done that a few times, probably just subconsciously assoctiating the EU to UEFA.

No worries Rob, quite a few do that, so I thought I was missing something. I don't call them U.E.F.A. but "you-ay-fa" so I wouldn't think of writing anything but UEFA.

At 30 and injury prone, Delph needs to be realistic and quit international football to get the most from his body and therefore club career. He can't do both, his body probably can't handle it.