Eriksson takes Rooney risk on his shoulders

By George Burns Jun 8, 2006, 13:53 GMT

England internationals (L-R) Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney pictured during the training of the England World Cup Team in Buehlertal, Germany, Tuesday 06 June 2006. EPA/Uli Deck

Baden-Baden, Germany - England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson on Thursday acknowledged the risks of keeping Wayne Rooney in his World Cup squad, as the Manchester United striker's club expressed caution about his fitness.

Rooney, recovering from a broken foot, joined the squad Wednesday, but the 20-year-old striker likely will only be fit for the knockout stage - which England is expected to reach. Eriksson said he and Rooney would have the final say on whether he plays.

'I'm doing this in the best interests of Rooney, the England team and 40 million England fans,' Eriksson said after England's training session.

'I'm responsible for it and I don't want anyone to talk about Rooney until I tell you he is match-fit,' he said. 'I don't want my players talking about Wayne Rooney's foot or injury. I hope you respect that.'

Rooney returned to the England squad after a scan on his broken right foot in Manchester indicated that it has healed enough to give him a chance of playing in the tournament.

He jogged out for training with his team-mates at the Buehlertal sports ground near the squad's luxury hotel on the Buehlerhoehe hill.

Rooney was injured in a Premiership match on April 29 against Chelsea and it was initially feared that he was out for the World Cup.

But an intensive rehabilitation programme, which included the use of an oxygen tent, seems to have had the necessary effect.

'He is injury free. Now it is up to us to get him match fit,' said Eriksson, who said he was prepared to take the player to see a specialist before allowing him line up for England.

'I'm prepared to listen to anyone and discuss with them about Wayne Rooney, but the last say in this story is Rooney's and mine,' he stressed.

Eriksson revealed that Professor Angus Wallace, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham and a former chairman of Britain's National Sports Medicine Institute, would be available to assess give a neutral opinion on the player's match fitness.

England doctor Leif Sward, with the agreement of Manchester United assistant club doctor Tony Gill, asked Professor Wallace to offer his opinion.

Wallace's involvement is further evidence that United seem less relieved with the results of the scan on Rooney's fourth metatarsal.

'He is now in the care of the England medical team. The expert independent medical view is that Wayne has a good chance of being fit after the group stage,' said the club in a statement.

'At that point, the expert independent medical view is that his participation in the tournament will require very careful assessment in order to address his suitability, as he will not have had the opportunity to play in less demanding games.'

With Rooney's place in the squad confirmed, Jermain Defoe of Tottenham Hotspur will now return to England.

Eriksson has all but written off Rooney for England's Group B matches against Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden, but the England coach hopes to have him available for the knockout stages of the tournament.

Should England make it out of the group as expected, their second round matches will begin on June 24 or 25.