Woodgate goes under the knife

[toniq]

Newcastle United and England defender Jonathan Woodgate will undergo surgery on a double hernia this weekend and will be out of action for 'several weeks', manager Bobby Robson has revealed.

Woodgate's injury is a blow to England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson ahead of the crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey in Istanbul next month.

'Jonathan Woodgate has been to see a specialist in Manchester and will have a double hernia operation on Saturday,' Robson told reporters after Newcastle's 5-0 UEFA Cup win over NAC Breda.

'We can forget about him for several weeks which is most definitely a blow to us. He played very well on Saturday when he eased his way back into the first team after not having played for a few weeks.

'He is like a Rolls Royce in that he hadn't been playing in the first team but seemed okay when he returned to action. But in training yesterday he felt some pain in the lower regions of his stomach.

'Our physiotherapist examined him and we immediately sent him to Manchester to see a specialist who said he must have an operation this weekend.'

Woodgate, 23, joined Newcastle from Leeds in January for nine million pounds but his career on Tyneside has been blighted by injury.

His stomach muscle problem also prevented him from being called into the last England squad for the Euro 2004 qualifiers with Macedonia and Liechtenstein.

[toniq]

Woody's injury is definitely a blow to the club. Luckily, in-form Bramble managed to put in some impressive performance for Newcastle in the last few matches. Andy O'Brien will partner him in the central defence.