Rumours surfaced yesterday evening that England physios gave Stewart Downing a painkilling injection so he could play through injury last Wednesday match against Scotland for 45 minutes making his injury from training much worse. The rumour claims Sam Allardyce and the club are now considering suing the FA.
Claret and Hugh say a highly reliable source inside the club said “Yes that’s 110 per cent true. It’s possible we will sue although the FA may accept responsibility and pay compensation.”
If true, this does ask serious questions of Roy Hodgson’s judgement in allowing this to take place without consulting the club but also asks the question why the player himself agreed to his course of treatment.
Downing who is believed to earn £50,000 per week is a major factor to West Ham’s success this season and his absence could cost us points as well as wages.
UPDATE Darren Lewis covered the story in the Daily Mirror this morning. He claims the FA dispute the timing of the jab and maintain it was NOT given to the winger to get him through the first half of last Tuesday’s game against Scotland. A West Ham source told Lewis: “They have a duty of care towards our player.” England boss Roy Hodgson held talks with Sam Allardyce on the evening of the Scotland match, while the national team’s medical team has also spoken with their West Ham counterparts. West Ham feel that had he not featured in that game in he would have been able to play in the Premier League at the weekend against Everton. An FA spokesman told the Mirror on Monday night: “Our medical staff always work professionally and with the highest integrity. Player medical care is always our top priority”.