Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

If I'd spent on Β£30million on something, I'd be a little protective of it too ;-)

But thank god he's back in .de....

Why do'nt these highly paid sport journalist's for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and various newspaper answer these questions:

-How many goals did Wayne Rooney score for England during the World Cup Qualifying group?
-How many goals did he set up in World Cup Qualifying group?
-How many goals did he score in this seasons Champions League for Manchester United?
-How many goals did he set up for Manchester United in the group stages of there unsuccessful Champions League campaign?

Are the media not guilty of putting to much pressure on Rooney like they did in 2002 with Beckham?

I feel that Erikson has been nothing less than cavalier in his approach/attitude to the Rooney injury. How will Utd feel if he subsequently falls foul of a recurrence or worsening position? What if litigation follows? We all want the best for England but also for the long term future of arguably our most influential player. When Sven's sunning himself in Madrid or wherever later this year will he even be bothered?

I understand the fuss about Rooney's fitness, but I'm more worried about Crouch. If he picks up a knock we're left with Owen at 80-90% and the inexperienced Walcott to get us through to a time when Rooney will be fit again.

I'm Scottish and have not decided wether to support England or not. But Rooney being fit for the latter stages increases there chances dramaticly. Everyone saw what he did in the euros and he is a better player now. I might not have decided to support England yet but I can't wait to see Rooney take the world cup by storm.

It is good news that Rooney is back, but surely it is his career to Risk and therefore his decision.

The prudent thing to do from both Erikson and Rooney is to see how England progress in the group stages and maybe play Rooney as a substitute against Sweden.

It is impossible not to be happy that Wayne Rooney even has the CHANCE of adding something to our World Cup hopes, and they are hopes. Quite frankly, Rooney's injury has probably done us the world of good in terms of preparation, attitude, and belief. Anyone who has ever played football at any decent level will know that, although you need talismen in your team, their absence doesn't make you any less determined to do well. It makes you more determined. England are quite capable, with or without Rooney, of beating any team in the world, on their day. But it has to be THEIR day. Surely it wasn't our day against Germany in 1990, nor in 1996, against Argentina in 1998, or against Brazil in 2002. Rooney's injury against Portugal visibly shook the team, and the rest is history. This time, we're starting without him, we can progress without him, we can do well without him. The country would rather win the World Cup with Rooney on the bench, than get to the Semi-Finals and Rooney play. The problem with us English, and I include me here with this blog, is that we pin our hopes and hearts to the flag, often represented by one man, in the belief that we WILL do it. Perhaps we're spoilt by occasional one-off displays (I'm thinking Beckham against Greece, primarily) of brilliance and theatrical, last minute elation. We love it, don't we? I emailed a colleague this morning, stating emphatically that we would win the World Cup and that Rooney would score in the final. I actually believe it, though having watched football since the day Maradona handled the ball past Shilton twenty years ago, I really should know better by now.

Come on Rooney! Come on Crouchy! Sven, it's not too late to call up Andy Sinton! Crikey, can you imagine...?

I'm really plzed that it looks like Rooney can play in the World Cup, because that's what he's wanted all along since he broke his foot and I'm an England fan! But I am a bit sceptic, because what if things go wrong and he ends up even more injured then when he first started, I really don't want that to happen because I'm a Man United fan aswell.
However he wont be playing until after the group stages so I think everything will be fine and Rooney can have a big impact on the World Cup!
adam no.7 don't be so mean about Rooney! :P How can u say he will be outshined by Ronaldinho when he's a completely different player to Rooney and as for Cristiano Ronaldo he is no way better than Rooney, he is good but not as good as Rooney!

I have found United's behaviour on this issue to be very strange from the beginning and it has nothing to do with their "investment" in Rooney per se, but their dependence. They have as much money tied up in Ferdinand who could also come back injured from the World Cup--but they would not miss him nearly as much. For me, United's personnel situation is a shambles. Without Rooney last season, during which they often played some poor football, United would have done nothing. For the coming season they will still be without a replacement for the heroic Keane and may be without one of the best poachers in World football in Van Nistelrooy. Add to that the possibility of having Rooney on the shelf for a few months and you have a team nervous about staying in the top four of the Premiership...

Rooney's 'big man's back in town' comment underlines the fact that Rooney, quite rightly, has indomitable self-belief, which probably borders on considering himself physically invincible. Add to this Sven's recent recklessness and the fact that, if someone crunches Rooney's foot and sidelines him till January, he won't be the one fielding Fergie's apoplectic phone calls, and you get two people who simply couldn't make an objective call on this issue.

Thank you Manchester United for making it so hard for Rooney to play in the world cup. Even a half fit Rooney is good enough for the likes of Paraguay and T&T, so I would stick him on bench on Saturday.
We all know what Man Yooo are like when it comes to letting players play for their country, hopefully it will come back to haunt them and players won't sign for united because of their attitude to the beautiful game.COME ON ENGERLAND!!!!!

I live and work in germany and as far as i can see from local papers.. rooney is just as fit and fast as the rest of the squad he is training with. Seems strange that someone who is running rings around 50% of the squad doing training and they say he is not match fit? Even beckham said Rooney is doing the same training as the rest and he is too the same standard as they are. Seems like what most people think is true, that Man Utd have struck a deal (what you think?)

Thank you Manchester United for making it so hard for Rooney to play in the world cup. Even a half fit Rooney is good enough for the likes of Paraguay and T&T, so I would stick him on the bench on Saturday.
We all know what Man Yooo are like when it comes to letting players play for their country, hopefully it will come back to haunt them and players won't sign for united because of this attitude to the beautiful game.COME ON ENGERLAND!!!!!

The England players and management are trying to play down his return, but inside they willbe delighted, just like all us fans, and it can only be a huge boost to our motivation and attitude. Doesn't matter whether he plays or not, just to have the option will lift our boys and deflate the opposition. If he'd stayed at home, it would have gutted everyone and been a huge psychological blow to overcome. Bring it on!

Your right........ Who ever plays, who ever does the buisness in that England shirt (we love you all).. Thats what the players and the fans have in commen.. they play with pride / we watch with pride, when they suffer / we suffer with them and when they bring that cup home / some of us sad ones will be crying with them. COME ON ENGLAND

Your right........ Who ever plays, who ever does the buisness in that England shirt (we love you all).. Thats what the players and the fans have in commen.. they play with pride / we watch with pride, when they suffer / we suffer with them and when they bring that cup home / some of us sad ones will be crying with them. COME ON ENGLAND

kenny rea - I see it took you two attempts to log your comment. Or did you just want to inflict your views on us twice? ManU have a right to be protective of Rooney, not just cos of the money but also he's the key to next season where they'll want him fit and playing - how many games? 30? A lot more than he'll play for England this summer that's for sure.

I hope he does play - he's magic to watch and COULD win us the world cup. But only if he really is up to it - and not at risk of spending a whole season in plaster like Heinze has just done.

Here's my take on what happened:

1) Utd wanted him out of the tournament altogether, but were happy for him to go as long as they were able to take the decision on whether to risk him or not.
2) The FA wanted him to go, but were not happy to fill the slot if Utd were able to withdraw Rooney.
3) The compromise was that the decision was effectively postponed - another 'independent' decision will be taken after the group stages.
4) Both parties are hacked off hence the odd press statements and lack of solidarity.
5) Sven agreed to say that the injury was fine, and that it was about match fitness - this helps to conceal the fact that there is still a lack of certainty but also gives a positive spin on the whole thing
6) I hope he is fit to play Poland in the second round, once we've won the group. I also hope Crouch scores enough goals to given Sven a selection headache!

I can only second the comments made by Dan Hadfield. England will need to learn to play without Rooney in the group stages, which can only be a good thing. The way England fell apart after his injury against Portugal showed their over reliance on a single player. If we should lose him later in the competition (heaven forbid) we will at least have a team that knows it has the quality to beat anyone, with or without Rooney.

I am a Man Utd fan to the core but I have to admit although I am not English I hope Rooney plays because there is something great about watching the Best players in the grandest stage of all the World Cup saying that I hope that Erikson is not going to risk Rooneys career just so he can lift the World Cup.

Rooney is 95% physically match fit, he will need some training sessions to get mentally fit so as not to worry about the crunching tackles that he will surely endure as countries know about his injury.

Man U have made it very difficult, and Sven has been uncharacteristically bullish with his repost, saying it is his and Rooney's decision alone, but if Man U want an independant physician to take a look, they can get whoever they want to inspect it.

Lets get this whole thing over with, bring on the world cup, oh and p.s. i hope we dont get it all again now with Gerrards sore back :(

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!

It appears the entire football world considers Wayne Rooney to be one of the best players in the world, and still a youngster with many years ahead of him. Naturally, you want your best players in your National Team. This is an opportunity for the balance to tip in favour of success rather than money. The motivation of Man U has more to do with money than national pride and achievement and, given that the highest priority will always be Wayne RooneyΒ΄s personal considerations, I am consequently happy to see Man U dropping down the pecking order.

From my own assessment of ratings and recent form (without Rooney) England come out as the top team in this tournament (much to my astonishment, gut reaction tells me theyΒ΄re not quite up to it). To win the world cup requires the absolute achievement of the entire squad of players, even the oneΒ΄s you donΒ΄t see being heroes. If this is truly a world class team then they will achieve their progress as a group and can afford the luxury of re-integrating Rooney in their own time in their own way and to greatest effect. We have to hope Sven has a cool head, objectivity, killer instinct and a lot of balls.

Not being a big football follower (and having adjourned to Spain), when I started to check out the WC (world cup) action, my first observation was Β΄who the feck is Peter CrouchΒ΄? (thinking of having a tee-shirt printed) Well, it seems weΒ΄re not obliged to be a one man team, we have a number of big guns (pun). I hope and anticipate that Rooney will contribute, as I do for all the members of the squad and that the team will be allowed to be successful.

Watching Spain against Croatia yesterday reminded me of so many years (since 66) of watching the English national side, we think we can play good football and we think that should be enough. It never is. You need 24+ hugely talented people working like slaves for each other. So, no more bleating. LetΒ΄s Go!

Having played sport to a high level and, having been in a similar situation to Rooney's, I fail to understand why Man Utd have any say at all in whether he will play or not. I got injured 2 weeks prior to my, then, biggest match. There was no doubt who's decision it was as to my playing - mine and mine alone. Ok, I wasn't a Β£30 million pound buy, but I had my young family to consider as making my injury worse would seriously affect our future. I had worked hard all my life to get to the standard to be able to play in that match and, as previous bloggers have said, my decision was probably not wholly objective. Man Utd should come to terms with the fact that Rooney is just one of their players who might get injured playing in the world cup - just as all the other clubs around the world hold their breath, so should they. I am a Liverpool fan and know for a fact that some of our players will come back injured - maybe seriously (Cisse!), but why are they playing, because they are sportsmen who have worked their lives to play on the biggest stage. I watched a physio on Breakfast yesterday morning who was worried that Rooney would be targetted and that players would stamp on his foot. What she failed to mention was that nearly all the players in the world cup will be carrying an injury which all their opponents will know about - do you think that the England players won't be aware of what injuries their opposites will be carrying? If Sven want's to pick Rooney and he wants to play, knowing how it might affect his career, then that is the end of the selection process. Man Utd - go home, sit back and enjoy what is likely to be the best football ever played. You cannot buy one of the best players in the world and then try and stop him playing on his stage.

I love being English. It's such a challenge. A daily, disappointing, ambitious, optimistic challenge. To the last comment, made by Jim in Spain, I salute you one hundred percent:

No more bleating. Let's Go!

Not being old enough to remember the Boys of '66 (but probably knowing more about it through footage, nostalgic remembrance of my folks, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ re-runs, etc.), I am desperate - note DESPERATE - to be able to tell my kids that 2006 was the year that we finally had the bottle - not the talent, because we have that in spades - to stand up and be counted as being the best team in the world. I used to criticise my Dad a few years ago for being so pessimistic every time a big tournament came round. 'We'll blow it, Dan. We're just not good enough.' I would have a go right back at him for taking such an attitude about the England team. I guess, however, he'd seen it all before and knew better than I did. Now I find myself on the very borders of the same pessimism that developed in him over the years, but I'm going to keep it at bay for one more tournament. Just one more.

If they don't do it this time, I'll concede his point and join the 'We're Just Not Good Enough' Club... Groan...

I hope United sue the FA - as Charleroi are doing with the Morrocans - if Rooney comes back injured.

Who paid the transfer fee? United
Who pays the player's wages? United
How much do the FA contribute? Nothing!

Can I remind the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ that Man Utd did NOT pay 30 mill for Rooney only 20 mill.. the rest is on 'winning stuff'.

Do you really 'hope' that United sue the FA? Is that where we've got to with football? Alex Ferguson has got an incredible point when it comes to Rooney, but it's not the only point. Rooney is an investment for the club and that shouldn't be put in jeapordy, says Sir Alex. Well, let's take it one step further. Why don't United keep Rooney from not playing at all, and just parade him around Old Trafford on a Saturday afternoon, before the kick off, to remind everybody how much money they have, and who he BELONGS to. Whose PROPERTY he is. If he's such a valuable asset, and of course he must be (take a quick peek at Man Utd's trophy cabinet this year...), then why play him at all?

If Ferguson threatened to dock Rooney's wages if he came back injured, Rooney would still play and take the risk. I guarantee it.

I would like to ask every single Man Utd fan whether, when Rooney crashed to the floor injured against Chelski in April, did their hearts sink because they thought a) oh no, he's injured and that's terrible for Man Utd, or b) oh no, that's Rooney out of the World Cup and goodbye to all that...

I'm sure you'll agree, Editor, that's there's just too much bureacracy attached to football in its present state. I'd rather Rooney not play and us win the World Cup, quite frankly. He is an amazing player, but wouldn't it be great to win it without him, knowing we weren't a one-man team? Surely then, everybody would be happy?

Apart from Rooney, of course...

Mr/Mrs Editor, thanks for the comment. I think you will find that Man Utd will have no grounds to sue the FA. It has been stated that Rooney is fit and does not have an injury, therefore they cannot be sued for playing Rooney when he was injured. Match fitness would appear to be the only problem and, as I stated before, that is totally up to Rooney himself. It sounds as if he already sails through the fitness tests so, who can say if he is fit - Rooney. Man Utd have no say about their Β£30m. How much would he be worth to Utd in franchise and transfer fees if he scores a hat-trick in the final and England win?
I think that a deal has been struck that he doesn't play until the knockouts. I hope he is on the bench against Paraguay and comes on for the last 10 mins - just to improve his match fitness, of course!!

I agree with a lot of comments you have all made but the one image I have is we proceed through the finals and meet Argentina.
Can you see any of them playing fair and not trying to take Rooney out the game early, then we will have the same situation as Portugal again.

Amazing ! All these notes and comments, slating Fergie (as I do !!!), Sven, the FA, Man U...come on, let's accept the fact that Rooney is a great player, he is with the squad, and we have a good chance.

Whatever the ramifications may be of Rooney being injured if he plays, let's remember one thing here : he plays with his heart, he is PROUD to play for his country, and like Beckham can be, he is inspirational. Nobody OWNS him. England have in the past lacked the guts and desire, even committment when compared to the England Rugby team under Martin Johnson, Laurence Dallaglio etc. Now it appears that somehow, that odd man from Sweden has gelled the country and the team the way Woodward managed to for the Rugby lads.

So Fergie ? If you don't like it, go home to Scotland - stay there preferably ! Sven, give it your best shot. Rooney, play your game; Lampard, Terry, Cole, Gerrard, Beckham, Owen and so on, show us our support is justified.

The rest of us? Forget the nonsense, get behind the team - we can do it !

Good point Matt at 29, but I don't think your imaginary final will happen. I don't believe that the South American players are playing very well against European players - including Ronaldinho and Messi - and, as previously stated by other co-bloggers, we can now play without Rooney too, unlike 2 years ago. Also, as the referees are supposed to be really tough this year, if Argentina do make it to the final they may be without a few key "hard" players through red cards!!

For all those people who think Man Utd don't want Rooney to play in the world cup you are wrong. They do want him to play, this week they employed the services of the marketing director of Real MAdrid in an attempt to leverage more money from Rooneys worldwide "superstardom". For Man Utd it is important that he does play, but also that he doesnt do any long term damage. Hense the reason for them stating that they hope he would be fit for the knockout stages. In other words they are covering their backs. To number 9, Rooney had many quiet games for utd when the team played outstandlingly. And you could say that a football team depends on its star player to perform for any club. Take Terry at Chelsea, Henry at Aresnal and Gerrard at Liverpool, all world class players that chnge games and Rooney is no exception, so to say the Utd situation is a shambles is questionable.
One final thing and I feel this is the most imporant point. Football is a team game. Have we all forgotten that we have taken a sqaud of players to Germany? Take Greece for example, they had a squad far infererior to that of Englands, yet their teams spirit won them the Euros. Whether Rooney does or doesn't play is not the deciding factor here, it's how we play as a team that counts, and we have arguably the best team in the world. Come on ENGLAND!!!!!!