From Graham Thomas in Dinard
Wayne Hennessey sat out training with Wales on Monday morning, but the goalkeeper insists he can still be fit for the England game.
Hennessey was the only absentee among the squad who trained for the first time since their stunning 2-1 victory in their opening match at Euro 2016.
The Crystal Palace keeper is yet to have an injection that he believes will cure him of the back spasm which forced him to miss last Saturday’s game in Bordeaux.
If he recovers, then Hennessey is set to replace Danny Ward, the 22-year-old Liverpool keeper, who was handed his first start for his country, when Wales meet England in Lens on Thursday.
“It was an unsettling time for myself but our motto is ‘Together Stronger’ and it is all about the boys,” Hennessey said.
“I had a similar one [back spasm] and missed the Liverpool game at home for Crystal Palace [in March]. So I’ll have an injection now and I will probably be back in 24 hours, which sounds crazy. It is one of those things, but it is a quick turn around, you go from broke to mended in about 24 hours, which is good.”
Hennessey was full of praise for Ward, who had made only two sub appearances for Wales before the Slovakia game and played in just two games for Liverpool. Ward is rated highly at Anfield and signed a five-year contract last summer, yet it was a huge moment for him to make his full debut for Wales in arguably the country’s most important match since 1958.
Ward said: “About a couple of hours before the game I knew that Wayne was struggling but regardless of whether he is 100% fit, 50% fit, or out, you have to go about your business as normal, go out and train hard all through the week and hope you get the chance – and when you do you have got to grab it with both hands.”
