Wigan Athletic 2-1 West Brom: Chris Kirkland doesn't look back in anger

Chris Kirkland has revealed he has turned his back on England... before he is unable to turn it at all.

The Wigan keeper, a surprise omission from last month's friendly against Germany, has told Fabio Capello he does not want to be picked until he is over his long-standing back problems.

Kirkland's trouble started when he had a growth spurt as a teenager and an operation while he was at Liverpool to remove part of a disc failed to cure the problem.

The 6ft 5in stopper has been plagued ever since and he became so sick of having to withdraw from England squads that he has gone into selfimposed exile.

Kirkland would rather focus on playing regularly for Wigan, where manager Steve Bruce has put him on a specialised training programme to protect his back.

The 27-year-old, described as one of the best keepers in the country by Bruce and "world class" by goal hero Emmerson Boyce, has thrived on the gently-gently approach and has missed just one league game all season.

Against West Brom he was superb, making four outstanding saves to help Wigan to victory.

"At the moment, I'm happy to sit out from England," he said.

"To play for my country is a massive honour, but I have to be sensible. Wigan deserve me to be in the best possible shape for them. The last couple of times I've been away, I've had to pull out with back injuries so the last thing they want to do is call me up only for me to pull out again.

"That's the last thing I want as well because then everyone talks about my injuries and that's not nice to read.

"This is the way forward for me. It's not a case of not wanting to play for my country, it's a case of wanting it to be right."

Kirkland's new regime means he will sometimes go for a swim, work out in the gym or just rest while his team-mates are out on the training pitch.

"Some days it's fine," he said.

"But other days I can barely walk. I don't want to get to 38 or 40 and not be able to play with my kids. The most important thing to me is family and I don't want to struggle with my back later in life."

After Ishmael Miller pounced on Titus Bramble's miscontrolled ball to open the scoring in the 47th minute - West Brom's first goal in 344 minutes of action - Kirkland took centre stage.

He pulled off two exceptional stops to deny James Morrison and Chris Brunt when they were through on goal.

Then when Henri Camara continued his hot streak by touching home Paul Robinson's suicidal backheader for Wigan's equaliser on 61 minutes, he performed yet more heroics.

His brilliant reflex save from Jonas Olsson's point-blank header left the Swede holding his head in disbelief before he produced a fine block to parry Jonathan Greening's drive.

Kirkland's England rival, Scott Carson, had a very different afternoon in the freezing fog and when he fumbled Olsson's header for a corner, Boyce took advantage of some slack marking to head home the winner three minutes from time.

It was Boyce's first goal for three years and the defender generously claimed he felt it made up for his part in West Brom's opener, although it was clearly Bramble's fault.

Boyce said: "I gave Titus a bad ball when I should have cleared it. I take the blame for it, not him."

As good as Kirkland was, Baggies boss Tony Mowbray felt his side should have done better from all the chances they created.

They played much the better football and once again their lack of a clinical finisher cost them dear.

"If we were a hopeless team and were getting battered every week, I'd be thinking we're really struggling here," he said. "But I don't think that's the case. We're in most games and it's just a failure to stick the ball in the net at one end and a lack of concentration at the back which is costing us."

Wigan : Kirkland 9, Taylor 6 (Melchiot 70, 5), Bramble 4, Boyce 7, Figueroa 5 (Kilbane 81), Valencia 5, Brown 5 (Koumas 60,6), Cattermole 6, Palacios 5, Heskey 5, Camara 7. Goals: Camara 61, Boyce 87.

West Brom : Carson 5, Zuiverloon 5, Meite 5, Olsson 6, Robinson 4, Morrison 7 (Moore 89), Koren 6, Greening 7, Valero 6, Brunt 7 (Bednar 89), Miller 7. Goal: Miller 47.

Referee : Phil Dowd
Attendance : 17,054

MAN OF THE MATCH (Worth an extra two Fantasy League points) Chris Kirkland (WIGAN) 9 Capello must be hoping he comes back for England soon on this form

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH Titus Bramble (WIGAN) 4 Another afternoon filled with clangers and indecision

ANORAK This win completed Steve Bruce's first back-to-back league victories with Wigan

NEXT THREE GAMES

WIGAN
Saturday: Arsenal (a) Prem
Sat Dec 13: Blackburn (H) Prem
Fri Dec 26: Newcastle (h) Prem

WEST BROM
Sunday: Portsmouth (h) Prem
Sat Dec 13: Sunderland (a) Prem
Sun Dec 21: Man City (h) Prem

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