• Premier League

Vela likely to miss Liverpool clash

ESPNsoccernet staff
March 31, 2011
Carlos Vela has scored important goals for West Brom since joining on loan from Arsenal © Getty Images
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Roy Hodgson has hit out at Mexico's treatment of West Brom striker Carlos Vela during the past two weeks.

Hodgson is upset Vela had to undertake a 12,000-mile round trip to play in two friendly internationals with Paraguay and Venezuela and did not play a major role in either game.

The on-loan Arsenal player may not arrive back in England until Friday and and Hodgson is concerned about what physical condition Vela will be in, plus the effects of jet lag, meaning he may not be available for Saturday's home clash with Liverpool.

Hodgson told the Birmingham Mail: ''I think it is disastrous to have players go away for friendly matches for the length of time it takes to go to Mexico. I'm not confident Carlos will come back in the right physical condition.

''I believe he has not played much for Mexico so I think from his personal viewpoint, as a West Brom player, this has been nothing but negative. I can't see anything positive about him being away for such a long period of time - but I can't stop him going.''

Hodgson does not expect much sympathy from the Mexican FA.

He said: ''They make sympathetic noises but then immediately forget you have phoned because they are not interested. They're interested in Mexico. They don't care about West Brom and couldn't care less whether we go stay up or go down.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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