Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires today admitted he has no hope of recovering from injury in time for the World Cup. The French international suffered a cruciate ligament knee injury against Newcastle last Saturday and despite this week's confusion as to whether or not he would have recovered in time for Japan and South Korea this summer, Pires has conceded his hopes are dead and buried.
"I would simply like people to leave me alone now. Things are clear; the World Cup is dead for me. I took the decision to wait for three weeks to decide whether I will be operated on my knee or not because I wanted to make my decision after a lot of thinking. I would like medical secrecy to apply for my knee as well, like any other normal human being.
"My situation is difficult enough, and I don't need some people to say anything more about it. One day it is not serious; the next I am out for six months, and the following there is a hope. I am trying to do things as professionally as possible and I am clearly surrounded by competent people. I can be trusted. I will do my best to get better as fast as I can," Pires told L'Equipe newspaper.
Filed by Tom Grealis
