ROONEY A WORLD CUP DOUBT

Last updated : 30 May 2006 By Ed
From the Guardian

Wayne Rooney's aspirations of playing in the World Cup have significantly receded with the news that he is suffering complications in his rehabilitation from a broken metatarsal. Doctors treating the injury believe he will not be fit in time and a concerned Sven-Goran Eriksson has brought forward the striker's next scan to June 7 so, if there is further bad news, he will have time to promote Jermain Defoe from the standby list.

The reason for the pessimism is that Rooney's double fracture is close to the tarsometatarsal joint of his foot which, according to Manchester United, makes it "an injury which takes longer to heal". Such a disclosure would not have been made lightly at Old Trafford and Eriksson seemed far more downbeat than usual after emerging from a breakfast meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson and the club's doctor, Tony Gill

"It was my request because we have to give Fifa our list on June 9 and after that we can't change anything," said Eriksson. "They [United] understood. They have accepted it's a fair request because, if we wait until June 14 [and Rooney is ruled out], I can't do anything after that."

Eriksson insisted he was still "optimistic" but admitted that his confidence was not based on medical evidence. "I'm not a doctor but sometimes you just have a feeling and mine is that he will play.

"I will wait for Wayne as long as it is possible and I would be very stupid if I didn't," was the Swede's take. "He is one of the best football players in the world."

"If Wayne is not able to start the World Cup, other players will have to do their job," said Eriksson. "We are very well covered in terms of strikers. We have Defoe, for one, so I'm not worried." Exasperated by the focus on one player, the England coach concluded by announcing that he would not answer any more questions about Rooney until his next scan.