CHRIS LAKEY Canaries keeper Robert Green's misery was compounded yesterday with the news that he is almost certain to miss the start of the season after the shattering injury suffered on England duty.

CHRIS LAKEY

Canaries keeper Robert Green's misery was compounded yesterday with the news that he is almost certain to miss the start of the season after the shattering injury suffered on England duty.

Green's World Cup dream lay in tatters after he was stretchered off during the England B game against Belarus and scans yesterday morning confirmed that he had suffered heavy damage to his groin.

City physio was in contact with his counterparts at the Football Association in the morning and yesterday afternoon drove Green to Bradford to see a specialist surgeon.

But Reynolds confirmed that the 26-year-old would be out for months rather than weeks.

“He's had his scan this morning which has showed quite a lot of damage in the area of the groin,” said Reynolds.

“We are going to take him to see a surgeon in Bradford. He's a surgeon we normally use and he will look at it and decide whether or not Robert needs surgery.

“He will be out for a number of months. He almost definitely will not be fit for the start of the season.”

While Green has suffered a double club and country blow within the space of 24 hours, the longer-term complication could be career-changing.

Green was widely tipped for a move away from Norwich this summer, having been linked with a of Premiership clubs, but it's highly unlikely a club will come in for a player who won't be available for the start of the new season. If he's going to leave, it may be January at the earliest.

Portsmouth have again been linked with a move for Green, but their manager, Harry Redknapp, typified the attitude at this time of the year when he said he wanted to recruit new players as soon as possible so they can be well-prepared for the new season.

“I want to get new players in quickly so we are ready for next season,” he said.

The knock-on effect of Green's injury will be felt by his understudy, Paul Gallacher, who played the last four games of the season when Green was sidelined with an ankle injury.

However, the Green-Gallacher juxtaposition is complicated. Gallacher took his chance with two safe and impressive hands, prompting Canaries boss Nigel Worthington to offer him a new deal - which he has yet to sign.

Gallacher's problem is that his future at Carrow Road is inextricably linked to that of Green. With a fit Green at Carrow Road, Gallacher is likely to be back on the subs' bench. Without him, Gallacher would be entitled to the number one jersey.

Green has always said he would not discuss his future, in public at least, until the World Cup was over. Clearly, that situation has changed now, and not for the better as far as either of them is concerned.

While Gallacher waits in the wings, Green is left to ponder just what he has done to upset the footballing gods. His World Cup dream is shattered and perhaps his dream of a return to the Premiership has gone too, for the time being at least.