Smith out of World Cup
2006-02-19 16:31
Manchester - Alan Smith will definitely miss the World Cup after suffering a horror injury in Manchester United's FA Cup defeat at Liverpool but his agent has dismissed reports the midfielder's career could be over.
United manager Alex Ferguson described the injury, in which Smith broke his leg and dislocated his ankle while trying to block a John Arne Riise free-kick on Saturday, as the worst he had ever seen.
The game was held up for five minutes as Smith received treatment on the pitch and was given oxygen before being stretchered off.
He faces at least eight months on the sidelines, but agent Alex Black insists the player is in a positive frame of mind.
"Certainly from what Alan has been told we're not under the impression that it's at all career-threatening," he told Sky Sports.
"It will be a long process to come back but if anybody is going to come back from it, it'll be Alan.
"He is tough, not just physically but mentally as well, so he has already started to talk about how quickly he can come back and get himself going again.
Converted into a midfielder
"He is having his operation this morning (Sunday) which will put him in a pot for six to eight weeks and then they'll know the extent of the damage to his ligaments as soon as it calms down."
Smith, who United signed as a striker from Leeds United 18 months ago but has since been converted into a midfielder by Ferguson, is renowned for being one of the game's tougher characters.
When he failed to get up after the tackle on Riise, Black said he knew there was something badly wrong.
"As soon as Alan stays down for any injury, you know it is something quite serious," he said.
"As they called everybody over you feared the worst and when you see the pictures it confirms it a little bit.
"He managed to stay in control of himself despite what must have been excruciating pain. What appears to have happened is when he dislocated his ankle, the force of that actually broke his leg just above his ankle as well.
"The two injuries individually are both serious but they're not major, major injuries and can be treated in a relatively straightforward way, but the two together make it a long healing process for him."
- SAPA