PAUL Gascoigne faced an anxious wait for an England World Cup
all-clear to face Holland next week, amid fears that his old knee injury
had flared up again.
The former Tottenham midfielder took a knock during Sunday's Rome
derby and was immediately sent to see the FA's medical specialist in
London.
But manager Graham Taylor, already without Arsenal striker Ian Wright,
insisted: ''There's nothing to get over-excited about. At the moment I'm
not over-concerned.''
But Gazza clearly was anxious at the faint indications that the right
knee he so badly injured in the FA Cup final against Nottinbham Forest
two years ago had not been completely cured by extensive surgery.
''As a precaution and to settle everyone down, we've whipped him down
to the specialist who works on behalf of the FA,'' said Taylor, who has
yet to consider the implications if he loses the hub of his team.
Gascoigne was worried when the stiffness in the knee failed to ease
four days after he suffered the knock. Taylor said: ''It may be a good
thing to show him that although he's had these operations, he can get a
knock on the knee and have nothing more than two or three days and off
you go again.'' Taylor expects to know the verdict on Gascoigne tonight.
The England manager has been plagued by minor problems. Goalkeepers
David Seaman and Chris Woods, plus Paul Ince, Lee Dixon and Carlton
Palmer, did not take part in the fitness monitoring at the Lilleshall
National Sports Centre because of knocks.
Four others were due to report last night -- Rangers midfielder Trevor
Steven, Arsenal's recalled left-back Nigel Winterburn and Manchester
United pair Gary Pallister and Lee Sharpe.
Fears that Gazza had suffered another serious injury receded when Mel
Stein, his adviser, said: ''Sending Paul to London was just a
precautionary measure to check that everything was okay. As far as I am
aware there are no problems and he is likely to train tomorrow.''
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