LONDON (AP) -Just when Fabio Capello has England winning again, he faces Germany and hopes to field as strong a lineup as possible in a game he considers important.
Fat chance.
Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand pulled out with injuries that no one can recall them getting. They were soon followed by starters Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, both having played 90 minutes for their clubs Saturday.
Good thing Wednesday's game in Berlin is only an exhibition.
The absence of such players has provided plenty of ammunition for conspiracy theorists who insist that clubs make up injuries to get players out of international games they consider meaningless.
On Saturday, Capello named his squad. The next day, Liverpool said Gerrard would be out for up 10 days with a leg injury. But Gerrard scored and played a full part in Liverpool's 2-0 victory at Bolton on Saturday. When the management of the England team summoned him from 200 miles away to prove the extent of his injury, the voice of conspiracy grew louder.
Although Lampard injured his ribs in Chelsea's game at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, he was able to finish the match. Rooney and Ferdinand last played for Manchester United at Arsenal on Nov. 8 and neither was limping when done playing.
But Rooney and Ferdinand weren't even picked for the Berlin game after Man United announced their injuries Saturday. England sent Gerrard and Lampard back to their clubs on Monday for treatment, stressing the Premier League teams had done nothing underhanded.
"It's just very unfortunate that we've got a lot of players who are regulars in the squad who are not around," FA spokesman Adrian Bevington said Monday. "The fact is that players have been down and have been assessed. We are satisfied that these players have legitimate injuries. The medical scans show it up so there shouldn't be any suggestion or innuendo otherwise.
"The players are absolutely gutted that they are not able to play for England in Berlin on Wednesday night."
Their clubs don't mind. They are overjoyed that these players won't run the risk of getting injured at the Olympic Stadium and should be fresh to face Premier League opponents next weekend.
Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United just happen to be the top three in the Premier League and are still not guaranteed spots in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Just more than a third of the way into the domestic league campaign, the clubs don't want an exhibition game to hinder their progress.
