Is Rooney Playing World Cup. faces injury D-day

Wayne Rooney's hopes of playing in the World Cup finals could be decided by May 25 when he undergoes another scan on his broken metatarsal.
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will then have a better idea of whether the 20-year-old is likely to have recovered sufficiently to be part of his 23-man squad for Germany.
Eriksson will have until June 9 - the day before England's opening group game with Paraguay - to make any final decision on the Manchester United star.
But a negative reaction to the scan in eight days' time - on the day England take on Belarus in a 'B' international at Reading - would leave Eriksson in a quandary as to whether to gamble on including his most lethal weapon.
Eriksson said: "Wayne will have a scan on May 25. At least we will know much more how the situation is regarding him after that date.
"I don't have a date for when Rooney will join the England squad. It is difficult to say but we will know much more after that scan. Hopefully it is good news.
"I spoke to Wayne last week and he is working and doing everything he has been asked to do - and maybe even more than that.
"I have always been positive, not because of medical reasons but because he will do absolutely everything to try to get fit as quickly as possible."
Eriksson revealed Rooney is not even contemplating the possibility of losing his fitness battle after sustaining the injury against Chelsea on the penultimate weekend of the season at Stamford Bridge.
He said: "I don't think Wayne even believes that not being at the World Cup will be the case for him. He is desperate to play in the World Cup. He has no negative thoughts like that."

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Gerrard may play in forward role

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says he has not ruled out the possibility of using Steven Gerrard as a striker at the World Cup finals.


With Wayne Rooney a doubt with a broken foot and Michael Owen only just back from a similar injury, Gerrard has been touted for a forward role.
Eriksson said: "Steven Gerrard can play in a lot of positions and one is as a second striker.
"I'm sure he could play as first striker but a lot depends on Rooney."
Manchester United star Rooney is almost certain to miss the group stages of the tournament and is thought to be a doubt for the knockout after suffering a broken metatarsal last month.

Gerrard has scored 23 goals for Liverpool this season and calls for him to be given a more forward position were increased after his two-goal performance in the FA Cup final win over West Ham.
Eriksson added: "I have known for many years that Gerrard can play in a lot of positions.
"We haven't decided yet but he's useful wherever he plays. After 25 May we will know much better what's happening with Wayne Rooney.
"I hope we play with Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen but once again Steven Gerrard is an option there."
Eriksson said he had no regrets about the gamble in picking Arsenal's teenage striker Theo Walcott as one of his four strikers.
The Swede added: "He looks to be very bright. It's not easy for him, of course, to settle in with a lot of good football players. It's a gamble and I'm happy I did it.
"He seems very stable and is just a young boy and of course he is happy to be here."

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Sven Ericson boosted by trio

England have enjoyed a day of fantastic good news - with Michael Owen, Jermaine Jenas and Wayne Rooney all on the comeback trail

Owen gave the Three Lions the biggest boost of all when he declared himself fit to play in the World Cup after hitting the net in a practice match at England’s pre-tournament training camp in Portugal this morning.But Tottenham star Jenas was also given permission to train again on Thursday after a shin injury while Rooney’s progress in recovering from a broken foot was praised by Sven-Goran Eriksson.Owen, who has played only one game since breaking a bone in his foot on New Year’s Eve, has been an injury doubt for the last five months. But he completed his second training session in two days with England in the Algarve and scored twice in a nine-a-side game."If there was a World Cup game tomorrow I would be in condition to play," he said."I am feeling fit. I have been feeling fit for quite a while now I am excited about the World Cup. There are no doubts at all in my mind about being fit for the first game against Paraguay. None at all."Of course it is a relief, but I was always confident. All the way through I have never been down about it, I always thought I would be fit."Owen’s recovery could hardly be better news for Sven and his England squad as they bask in the Portuguese sun. And the Newcastle striker looked extremely sharp in training.His recovery and Jenas’ progress leaves England with only Rooney to worry about, and the news for him could yet prove positive too.England Head Coach Eriksson said: "On 25 May we will know much more of the situation, that is the date of his next scan."I have always been positive. But not for medical reasons - I have been positive because he will do absolutely everything to try to get fit as quickly as possible."Wayne Rooney not in the World Cup, I don’t think he even believes that will be the truth. Of course he should be there.

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Match Schedule World Cup 2006

Group A
Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

1 09-Jun-06 Munich GER:CRC 18:00
2 09-Jun-06 Gelsenkirchen POL:ECU 21:00
17 14-Jun-06 Dortmund GER:POL 21:00
18 15-Jun-06 Hamburg ECU:CRC 15:00
33 20-Jun-06 Berlin ECU:GER 16:00
34 20-Jun-06 Hanover CRC:POL 16:00


Group B
Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

3 10-Jun-06 Frankfurt ENG:PAR 15:00
4 10-Jun-06 Dortmund TRI:SWE 18:00
19 15-Jun-06 Nuremberg ENG:TRI 18:00
20 15-Jun-06 Berlin SWE:PAR 21:00
35 20-Jun-06 Cologne SWE:ENG 21:00
36 20-Jun-06 Kaiserslautern PAR:TRI 21:00


Group C
Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

5 10-Jun-06 Hamburg ARG:CIV 21:00
6 11-Jun-06 Leipzig SCG:NED 15:00
21 16-Jun-06 Gelsenkirchen ARG:SCG 15:00
22 16-Jun-06 Stuttgart NED:CIV 18:00
37 21-Jun-06 Frankfurt NED:ARG 21:00
38 21-Jun-06 Munich CIV:SCG 21:00


Group D
Matchn Date Venue Teams Time/Score

7 11-Jun-06 Nuremberg MEX:IRN 18:00
8 11-Jun-06 Cologne ANG:POR 21:00
23 16-Jun-06 MEX:ANG 21:00
24 17-Jun-06 Frankfurt POR:IRN 15:00
39 21-Jun-06 Gelsenkirchen POR:MEX 16:00
40 21-Jun-06 Leipzig IRN:ANG 16:00


Group E Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

9 12-Jun-06 Hanover ITA:GHA 21:00
10 12-Jun-06 Gelsenkirchen USA:CZE 18:00
25 17-Jun-06 Kaiserslautern ITA:USA 21:00
26 17-Jun-06 Cologne CZE:GHA 18:00
41 22-Jun-06 Hamburg CZE:ITA 16:00
42 22-Jun-06 Nuremberg GHA:USA 16:00


Group F
Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

11 13-Jun-06 Berlin BRA:CRO 21:00
12 12-Jun-06 Kaiserslautern AUS:JPN 15:00
27 18-Jun-06 Munich BRA:AUS 18:00
28 18-Jun-06 Nuremberg JPN:CRO 15:00
43 22-Jun-06 Dortmund JPN:BRA 21:00
44 22-Jun-06 Stuttgart CRO:AUS 21:00


Group G
Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

13 13-Jun-06 Stuttgart FRA:SUI 18:00
14 13-Jun-06 Frankfurt KOR:TOG 15:00
29 18-Jun-06 Leipzig FRA:KOR 21:00
30 19-Jun-06 Dortmund TOG:SUI 15:00
45 23-Jun-06 Cologne TOG:FRA 21:00
46 23-Jun-06 Hanover SUI:KOR 21:00


Group H
Match Date Venue Teams Time/Score

15 14-Jun-06 Leipzig ESP:UKR 15:00
16 14-Jun-06 Munich TUN:KSA 18:00
31 19-Jun-06 Stuttgart ESP:TUN 21:00
32 19-Jun-06 Hamburg KSA:UKR 18:00
47 23-Jun-06 Kaiserslautern KSA:ESP 16:00
48 23-Jun-06 Berlin UKR:TUN 16:00

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