United manager Ferguson slams Eriksson over Rooney pledge

May 2, 2006, 16:40 GMT

London - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out after Sven Goran Eriksson said he would take the risk and pick Wayne Rooney in his World Cup squad even if he believed he would only be fit for the knock-out stages.

Rooney fractured a metatarsal bone in his right foot during United's match with Chelsea on Saturday and is expected to be out for at least six weeks.

Ferguson said United would make every effort to get Rooney fit for England but that if he was not ready, he would not be going.

'We will do our best to get the boy to Germany but if he is not fit, he is not going to go,' Ferguson said.

'In six weeks' time Rooney will have another two weeks to get fit to play in the quarter-final of a World Cup. That is a wild dream.

'Sven saying he'll take Wayne fit or not was something we didn't want.'

Eriksson will be able to replace Rooney in the squad up until one day before England's first match of the competition, against Paraguay on June 10.

'It's the same as any other Fifa competition,' a Fifa spokesman said.

'With a medical report, players who are on the official list, as of 15 May can be replaced up to 24 hours prior to each team's first match.'

If a replacement is named, Rooney would take no part in the tournament.

Eriksson has to name his 23-man squad May 15, but is due to announce a provisional squad on May 8 and it seems certain that Rooney will be included.