Wenger confirms Walcott to be out for three months

November 20, 2008

LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that Theo Walcott will be sidelined for at least three months after the England winger had surgery on his dislocated shoulder on Thursday.

Walcott was injured when he slipped on the rain-soaked pitch in Berlin during a training session with Fabio Capello’s squad on Tuesday.

Wenger admitted he could not blame the Football Association for the accident.

"I’m disappointed because he is an important part of the squad, but that could have happened in training here," Wenger said. "It was an accident that could have happened anywhere.

"I do not blame the FA for that. It was accidental in training and I accept that.

"In a moment like that you do not think about compensation you think about how you can replace the player."

It is the fourth time Walcott has suffered a shoulder injury as he struggles with a hereditary condition inherited from his father Don.

Walcott had surgery on an identical injury on his left shoulder in 2006 and had only just returned from a shoulder problem suffered at Stoke earlier this season.

However, Wenger insists there is no danger of Walcott’s career being put in jeopardy by the injuries.

"There is no (long-term) concern about that. Once the surgery is done and it is solid, there is no concern at all for the future of Theo Walcott. Not at all," he said.

"It can take time to use his shoulder again and every little protection of the ball, you need your shoulder. At the start they use their body and don’t use their shoulder as much as they should. It takes some time to get used to that.

"The experience we had with Theo was that the last time he injured his shoulder he played after three months. He was not completely competitive after three months. He could play in the games."

Although Wenger didn’t point the finger of blame at the FA, Arsenal could claim compensation for Walcott’s time on the sidelines, according to the game’s governing body.

The FA insure all players on international duty and up to 100,000 pounds per week can be paid out to clubs by the organisation’s insurers.

Under the FA’s insurance deal, Arsenal could claim 50,000 pounds for the first two weeks Walcott is absent, and 100,000 pounds per week thereafter, which could mean 1.5million pounds in compensation.

An FA spokesman said: "The FA is one of only a handful of national associations who voluntarily insure our players against injury while on international duty.

"Almost all foreign international players who play for English clubs will not have been insured in this way."

Written by: AFP

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