• Frank Lampard needs operation to fix groin problem
• Crouch, Zamora and Stockdale also doubts for England squad

Frank Lampard will have groin surgery this week and will miss England’s upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers, in the most significant of a series of blows to Fabio Capello. Peter Crouch of Spurs and the Fulham pair Bobby Zamora and David Stockdale are also likely absentees from the squad, being named tomorrow.

Carlo Ancelotti revealed that the Chelsea midfielder had been suffering recently from the problem, which had its origins a decade ago when he was at West Ham, and the Italian said that despite efforts to manage the injury surgery was the only answer.

Lampard missed a penalty against Stoke before being substituted with 18 minutes remaining. His absence from England’s games against Bulgaria, at Wembley on Friday, and then away to Switzerland four days later, will come as a blow to Capello, as the England manager tries to rebuild the national team’s fortunes in the wake of the World Cup. They are two of England’s hardest fixtures in an otherwise easy group and Capello would have wanted Lampard’s experience to ensure a steady start.

Ancelotti said: “Frank didn’t feel well here. He didn’t feel well, so the solution is surgery this week – either on Tuesday or Wednesday – and it will be surgery on his hernia. He can’t play for England. He first had a problem with his groin ten years ago.”

But Capello will not be too impressed that Lampard expects to be fit for the resumption of club duties in a fortnight, when Chelsea are away to West Ham. Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, said: “He will be back in a week for training, it’s not a big problem, it’s very easy surgery. He needs to do this. He started to feel pain. We spoke with Capello to explain the situation. This week we tried to work on him in training without resorting to surgery but surgery is the only solution.”

Peter Crouch, meanwhile, had to go off with a hip injury at half-time in Tottenham’s 1-0 home defeat by Wigan. Zamora, who scored for Fulham at Blackpool in front of Capello, had to go off just before the hour and was rated very doubtful by Mark Hughes, who also suggested Stockdale may not be fit enough to accept his reported call-up.

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• Begovic contacts players’ union to deny allegations
• Missed match against Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup

Asmir Begovic has tried to clear the air after the Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, claimed his goalkeeper refused to play against Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup last night.

Begovic, who arrived from Portsmouth last season, has been linked with a summer move away from the Britannia Stadium, and Pulis suggested the transfer talk prompted his keeper to sit the game out. However, Begovic has told the Professional Footballers’ Association he would have played, and blamed “a misunderstanding”.

The PFA’s deputy chief executive, Bobby Barnes, said: “The PFA would not condone a player refusing to play for his club. But Asmir was at great pains to make it clear to me and the wider public that at no stage had he actually said that he refused to play for the club.

“I think it’s common knowledge now that there has been a bid received. From Asmir’s point of view he says that he had a conversation with the manager in which he was asked whether he was 100% fit and ready to play.

“Asmir’s take is that he had indicated that his mind was a little bit scrambled by things and that probably if there was an alternative it would be best if he didn’t play.

“But he is at great pains to say at no stage did he say that he wouldn’t play, and had he been asked to play he would have done so.”

Barnes told Sky Sports News: “Managers will ask players – whether it be to do with an injury or a personal issue – is it something that you think you can clear your mind of and be able to play 100%? A player would give an honest answer to that.

“In this particular case – and I haven’t spoken to Tony, who might have an alternative view – Asmir was adamant that he would have played if he was asked to play.

“But the question was ‘are you 100% able mentally to play?’ The answer has been a negative one and on that basis the manager has made a decision.”

Carlo Nash, who arrived from Everton in the summer, played instead as the team secured a place in the third round.

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