Rooney on the bench for Trinidad & Tobago

By George Burns Jun 15, 2006, 15:59 GMT

Nuremberg - Wayne Rooney won't start against Trinidad & Tobago in Thursday's Group B match in Nuremberg despite being given the all-clear by doctors.

Independent medical experts Professor Angus Wallace and Chris Moran released a statement Thursday saying the 20-year-old has made rapid progress in the past week and is match fit but coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has decided not to risk the player.

Eriksson said Wednesday that he considered Rooney to be match fit but that he wasn't yet ready to play a full game.

'I don't think he has 90 minutes in his legs yet,' said the Swede.

Wallace and Moran said Rooney's rapid recovery was 'due to the excellent care he has received since suffering the injury to his foot and because Wayne has worked so hard at his recovery'.

The decision about when to risk Rooney has led to conflict with his club Manchester United, which said in a statement Thursday that the player was in the care of the English Football Association's (FA) medical staff.

'The club has been assured by the FA that it has decided Wayne's fitness on the basis of medical evidence it has received and that such a decision was made with Wayne's welfare as a key consideration,' said the club in a statement.

'We wish Wayne and the England squad the very best in what we hope will be a successful bid to win the World Cup.'

The news that Eriksson has taken independent medical advice before risking his prize asset means he will feel he has lived up to his agreement with United that Rooney would undergo a further medical assessment before being cleared to play.

'It is our professional medical opinion that Rooney is available to play in the World Cup,' said Wallace's and Moran's statement.

'We are independent experts and would like to make clear that the findings of our evaluation and decision have been made without any pressure from the Football Association.

'We have Wayne's best interests at heart, as our sole concern is Wayne's well-being - now and in the future.'