Greeno's operation is a success

[Huckerbys right foot]

NORWICH CITY goalkeeper Robert Green is on the road to recovery following an operation at the weekend to remove a rogue piece of bone from his right ankle.

The 24-year-old City No1 had hoped to be part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's Euro 2004 plans after making his international breakthrough towards the end of last season.

Instead Green can now concentrate on putting his feet up and taking a well-earned rest after clean-up surgery put his England ambitions on hold for the summer.

"Everything's gone very well and he's now well on the mend," said City boss Nigel Worthington, fully expecting his much-admired 'keeper to be fit and raring to go when pre-season training starts on June 28.

"He's got a little bit of time now so he can take it nice and steady – there'll be no rushing him back," said Worthington, with Green expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks, with plenty of time to work on the tan.

"Hopefully everything goes well and he'll be 100 per cent ready for the start of pre-season at the end of June," added Worthington.

News of Green's date with the ankle surgeon first emerged nine days ago with physiotherapist Neal Reynolds revealing that the City keeper had been playing through a certain amount of pain en route to Norwich lifting the first division title.

Green's successful operation was the one and only piece of definite news to emerge from Colney this weekend as Worthington continued to flat-bat the endless round of speculation that has accompanied Norwich return to the top flight.

First rumour to be flatly denied was the prospect of Arsenal's veteran defender Martin Keown being handed a one-year deal at Carrow Road as the 37-year-old looks for one last year of Premiership football.

"There's nothing in that one," said Worthington. "There has been no contact and even if there had, I should imagine Martin Keown would want a lot more money than we could afford."

He is also not in Worthington's ideal age range – a fact that also tends to suggest that Portsmouth old boys Teddy Sheringham and Tim Sherwood might be bound elsewhere this summer.

Scottish international keeper Paul Gallacher, however, fits the age bill ideally. And with Paul Crichton's exit leaving a large situation vacant for someone to challenge Green's supremacy, the 24-year-old would appear to meet Norwich's needs. But Scottish newspaper reports on Saturday that the Dundee United keeper had already signed for the Canaries were, said Worthington, "wide of the mark".

"We'll let everybody know when we've signed somebody – but there is nothing new to report at the moment," said Worthington.


GREAT NEWS BIT LATE TO GO TO EURO 04 BUT GLAD HE'S RECOVERING!
::leedswac

[Adalon]

good news for you lot!