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Eriksson keeps squad under wraps
LONDON, England -- England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has again delayed naming his squad for the crucial Euro 2004 tie against Turkey in the hope Liverpool striker Michael Owen will travel. Owen was undergoing physiotheraphy at his club Liverpool after a scan showed he had suffered a split in the lining between the fibula and tibia in his lower right leg against Arsenal on Saturday. But England captain David Beckham is confident of playing in Istabul where England must at least draw to reach the 2004 finals. Beckham limped off at the end of Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Espanyol with a dead leg having missed the midweek Champions League tie with a bruised foot. "I've had a few problems with the (foot) injury, but that is not going to be any problem for England,' he said. "I got a dead leg in the first 20 minutes (on Sunday). It was aching at the end of the match, but once again it is not a problem." Owen's absence would be a blow for England, who have relied heavily on his goals to keep their Euro 2004 hopes alive. If he does miss out, England may risk the untried pairing of Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney. Eriksson, however, still hopes Owen will join up with the squad at their Hertfordshire hotel base on Tuesday for more treatment ahead of Thursday's flight to Turkey. Turkey have their own injury worries with captain Hakan Sukur doubtful with a knee injury. The 32-year-old Galatasaray striker limped off after an hour of the 4-3 win over Sebatspor and Turkey's technical director Can Cobanoglu said: "Hakan is very important so we will leave the decision on his fitness until Saturday." Sukur has scored 40 goals in 87 internationals. One man definitely missing is Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen who injured a thigh during a domestic league game at the weekend. UEFA will name a replacement in the next few days. Milton sent off Beckham during the 1998 World Cup clash against Argentina for a retaliatory kick at Diego Simeone.
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