Knee injury keeps Rooney out of squad

WAYNE ROONEY is out of England’s squad for the friendly against South Africa in Durban on Thursday. A medical yesterday finally ended a controversy-packed seven days since David Moyes announced his teenage star had a knee injury.

The Everton striker will spend the next five days recuperating on Merseyside while his international team-mates spend 22 hours in the air before meeting Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Wednesday and playing Shakes Mashaba's side the following day.

Sven-Goran Eriksson hopes Rooney, 17, will be fit enough to join the rest of the squad on Friday for a six-day training camp in La Manga, Spain, ahead of the friendly with Serbia-Montenegro and the Euro 2004 qualifier with Slovakia. So the injury verdict after the week which reopened the club-versus-country conflict was as Moyes stated after last Sunday's season-ending 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.

The Toffees boss, who had already opposed Rooney's participation in the fixture, said: "Wayne definitely won't travel to South Africa and he is a doubt for the later matches as well."

But on Monday, Eriksson insisted he report to London for his injury to be assessed. And the importance placed on Rooney's fitness or lack of was emphasised by the fact both the medics and managers of England and Everton had a ringside seat for his failed fitness test.

Rooney's examination was conducted in the presence of England's medical staff, Everton physio Mick Rathbone and both Eriksson and Moyes.

An FA spokesman said: "Wayne Rooney has had to withdraw from England's squad for the game against South Africa. The England medical staff, together with Everton's physio, today assessed Wayne's knee injury in London and agreed the player should return to his club for treatment.

"It was agreed Wayne will remain with Everton for the remainder of the week, with a view to joining the England squad for the trip to La Manga.

Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has pulled out of the squad for all three England fixtures, due to a neck problem. The FA spokesman added: "Danny Murphy also reported to the England medics today where a neck injury was assessed.

"Unfortunately, Danny has had to withdraw from the full summer schedule. He has returned to his club for treatment."

Eriksson has yet to decide on whether to call up replacements for Rooney or Murphy, whose absence represents another blow as the Swede had already been forced to replace Newcastle's injured Kieron Dyer with West Ham's Joe Cole.

Arsenal's Ashley Cole and Southampton pair Wayne Bridge and James Beattie have already been excused from the Durban fixture due to Saturday's FA Cup final.

With Rooney and Murphy's withdrawals, Eriksson's 25-man squad has now been reduced to 20.

A delegation, including captain David Beckham and Eriksson, will meet Mandela on Wednesday. The squad jet home after Thursday evening's friendly.

They will then fly to La Manga on Friday to prepare for the June 3 friendly with Serbia-Montenegro at and the Euro 2004 qualifier with Slovakia eight days later.