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Eriksson pleads for calm as Rooney comeback hopes mount
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-06-07 09:10 BADEN-BADEN, Germany - Sven-Goran Eriksson tried to quell a surge of optimism that Wayne Rooney will be fit for the World Cup as England began training at their idyllic Black Forest base camp.
Pictures of Rooney unleashing a flying scissor-kick with his injured right foot were splashed across newspapers in Britain, ensuring that the issue of the Manchester United player's fitness dominated a post-workout press conference. Rooney faces a crunch scan in Manchester on Wednesday which will assess his recovery from a fractured metatarsal bone suffered on April 29, and determine whether he stays with the England squad or is replaced. But while the pictures of Rooney striking a football have encouraged hopes that the 20-year-old is poised to be declared fit, England boss Eriksson pleaded for calm. "I think there's been said so much about Rooney, let's wait until tomorrow afternoon or Thursday morning," Eriksson said, before reiterating he "strongly" believed Rooney would take part in the tournament. "I think he looks very good. I don't really have any other news about him. Let's wait as, very soon, we will know what is going to happen about him. Rooney will be whisked to Manchester on a private jet early Wednesday but it is not clear when the results of the scan will be known. Eriksson said he hoped to receive the verdict on Rooney's fitness by Thursday at the latest, stressing again that the decision was in the hands of the doctors. "Thursday morning, maybe at the latest, I suppose. I know it's big news and he's a big football player but let's wait until tomorrow. |
