Post by QPR Report on Aug 23, 2009 8:45:50 GMT
According to Sunday Mirror. If true....Aged 26. Not even hit his peak 
Sunday Mirror -West Ham striker Dean Ashton to announce retirement from football
Published 23:09 22/08/09 Exclusive by Paul Smith
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Dean Ashton is set to announce his shock retirement from football.
The 26 year-old West Ham and England striker is suffering from a degenerative ankle problem. He travelled to Amsterdam three weeks ago for an assessment from leading Dutch surgeon Niek van Dijk and was warned he could end up wheelchair-bound if he carried on playing.
A Hammers spokesman said last night: “We can confirm Dean Ashton is unavailable for selection but we cannot comment any further."
Ashton, who has endured ankle problems since sustaining a fracture during an England training session in August 2006, has not been able to train or play since breaking down in manager Gianfranco Zola's first training session on September 15 last year.
Dutch surgeon Van Dijk originally operated on Ashton’s ankle after the England training ground accident with Shaun Wright-Phillips three years ago.
Following 11 months out the game the £7million signing from Norwich eventually returned to action and admitted he feared his career might have been over.
In June 2007 Ashton said: "At your low points you think you're never going to play again and that is a horrible feeling. Anyone who tells you they don't feel like that would be lying."
However, the burly striker battled back to make 35 league and cup appearances and scored 11 goals.
But the worsening state of his ankle was already taking its toll.
Despite signing a new five-year contract, worth £50,000 a-week last summer, Ashton has now been sidelined for almost a year. He underwent further surgery on his ankle in February this year and underwent a course of rehabilitation with former West Ham physiotherapist John Green.
Green has worked with other long term casualties such as Kieron Dyer and Michael Owen.
Despite these sessions Ashton has suffered excruciating pain in his ankle, which is rapidly getting worse.
The club decided to take the intiative recently as Ashton’s condition showed no sign of subsiding.
They stopped Ashton’s consultations with Green and sent him with their medical team to see Van Dijk in Holland.
Van Dijk informed Ashton that he could perform high-risk surgery to alleviate the pain but that the striker had to accept his playing career was over.
West Ham are now in the process of lodging an insurance claim while negotiating a pay-off for Ashton.
Ashton and Darren Bosson, the player’s agent, were not available for comment.
www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/West-Ham-striker-Dean-Ashton-to-announce-retirement-from-football-article126975.html
Sunday Mirror -West Ham striker Dean Ashton to announce retirement from football
Published 23:09 22/08/09 Exclusive by Paul Smith
(1) Recommend
Dean Ashton is set to announce his shock retirement from football.
The 26 year-old West Ham and England striker is suffering from a degenerative ankle problem. He travelled to Amsterdam three weeks ago for an assessment from leading Dutch surgeon Niek van Dijk and was warned he could end up wheelchair-bound if he carried on playing.
A Hammers spokesman said last night: “We can confirm Dean Ashton is unavailable for selection but we cannot comment any further."
Ashton, who has endured ankle problems since sustaining a fracture during an England training session in August 2006, has not been able to train or play since breaking down in manager Gianfranco Zola's first training session on September 15 last year.
Dutch surgeon Van Dijk originally operated on Ashton’s ankle after the England training ground accident with Shaun Wright-Phillips three years ago.
Following 11 months out the game the £7million signing from Norwich eventually returned to action and admitted he feared his career might have been over.
In June 2007 Ashton said: "At your low points you think you're never going to play again and that is a horrible feeling. Anyone who tells you they don't feel like that would be lying."
However, the burly striker battled back to make 35 league and cup appearances and scored 11 goals.
But the worsening state of his ankle was already taking its toll.
Despite signing a new five-year contract, worth £50,000 a-week last summer, Ashton has now been sidelined for almost a year. He underwent further surgery on his ankle in February this year and underwent a course of rehabilitation with former West Ham physiotherapist John Green.
Green has worked with other long term casualties such as Kieron Dyer and Michael Owen.
Despite these sessions Ashton has suffered excruciating pain in his ankle, which is rapidly getting worse.
The club decided to take the intiative recently as Ashton’s condition showed no sign of subsiding.
They stopped Ashton’s consultations with Green and sent him with their medical team to see Van Dijk in Holland.
Van Dijk informed Ashton that he could perform high-risk surgery to alleviate the pain but that the striker had to accept his playing career was over.
West Ham are now in the process of lodging an insurance claim while negotiating a pay-off for Ashton.
Ashton and Darren Bosson, the player’s agent, were not available for comment.
www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/West-Ham-striker-Dean-Ashton-to-announce-retirement-from-football-article126975.html