Jonathan Woodgate's career hanging in the balance

Andy Hodgson11 April 2012

Jonathan Woodgate's future in football is looking increasingly bleak as he continues to struggle with a groin injury that has sidelined him since last November.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will not include the defender in his 25-man squad for the new Premier League season that has to be named by 1 September. That would rule Woodgate out until January at the earliest when the transfer window
re-opens and the initial list can be changed.

Redknapp had already said that July was "make or break" for the former England international.

A catalogue of injuries have blighted what promised to be a fantastic career when he first broke into the first team at Leeds United in 1998.

The 30-year-old subsequently had spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle and Middlesbrough before joining Spurs but he has never been able to hold together a consistent run in the first team before breaking down again.

His problems were thought to have stemmed from a back injury that was first detected during his time in Spain.

He made only nine appearances in three years while at the Bernabeu and claimed to have performed 1,000 sit-ups a day in an effort to keep his fitness up following his back operation.

His return to England with home-town club Middlesbrough appeared to have paid off when he played the first 16 games of the 2007-2008 season before moving to White Hart Lane and scoring the winner in the League Cup Final against Chelsea the following February.

But Woodgate played only three games last season and he has sought treatment in both America and Australia in an effort to find a cure.

He was running again at the start of pre-season and the signs were hopeful. But he has spent most of the month working on his own and Redknapp said last night: "Jonathan will not be fit for the start of the season.

"He's in a position where he can't train or kick a ball."

It is a huge setback for Woodgate. Before he went away on the club's pre-season tour of the United States, the Spurs manager said: "He [Woodgate] has got to come back and play. If he is not ready for the start of the season, it will be difficult for him.

"When he gets his boots on and starts playing hopefully he will be okay. He's a fantastic player, one of the best centre-halves around."

Redknapp will not give up hope that Woodgate can make a full recovery and the Spurs boss is fortunate to have Michael Dawson in reserve. The defender, a late call-up to the England World Cup squad, was one of the club's star performers last season and he will be heavily relied upon again this season.

With Woodgate missing, Redknapp will be desperate to nurse Ledley King through another campaign but the signs are not good for him, either.

King picked up a groin problem while in South Africa and only played 45 minutes of England's first game against the United States.

"Ledley has come back, his knee is not great and he has a groin problem," Redknapp said.

King's absence is likely to mean Spurs step up their search for a defender before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Redknapp has admitted that his squad is currently three players light and signing a centre-half will now be a priority.

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