Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge: Roy Hodgson not to blame for injury woes

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Daniel Sturridge has refused to blame Roy Hodgson for picking up a thigh injury which saw him miss five months of Liverpool’s season.

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There has been much speculation over how the England striker picked up the injury with a war of words breaking out between Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who likes to give his players two days rest after a big game, and Hodgson who only provides one.

Sturridge picked up the first of his numerous problems this season just two days after he played 89 minutes for the Three Lions in a friendly with Norway during sprint sessions.

Controversy reigned over whether the former Chelsea and Man City man had asked Hodgons whether he could sit out the session but had been ignored or overruled, whilst Hodgson said no such conversation had taken place.

And whilst Sturridge is not completely open about the situation he says he does not hold the England manager responsible for his physical problems.

“Regardless of what happened in the past, I love playing for England,’ says Sturridge in a wide ranging interview with the Mail on Sunday.

“That situation occurred and it’s in the past. I don’t want to dwell on it. People pick injuries up and they are unfortunate. It just so happened I got injured that day. It’s life. People get injured sometimes. It is what it is.

“My relationship with the England manager is top class. No worries at all. We speak via text. We speak to each other. We keep in touch. Throughout my injury, he kept in touch. I would never blame him for this. Never. Or any of the staff – it was just an unfortunate incident. I have got so much respect and admiration for him and his set-up. The relationship is very, very good.

“For me, yes, two days’ recovery works best but I am not every player. Every player’s different. Some like to train on the second day. Some don’t. I am used to having second-day recoveries now and when you get used to doing something, you do it. I have had periods with other clubs when I have not had second-day recovery times. So it doesn’t make a huge difference.

“Whatever environment you are in, you go with it. I don’t point fingers at anybody. Whatever the boss wants me to do with England, I’ll do it because he’s the boss. Football is about being a team player and whatever the boys are doing, you have got to go with that. I don’t blame anybody.”

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