D-Day as Rooney returns for vital scan
Rooney will take a private jet from Baden-Baden to Manchester for the crucial scan on his broken metatarsal bone.
The results will then be analysed by medical experts from Manchester United and England and a final decision made about his participation in the tournament.
Eriksson has other injury concerns — Steven Gerrard pulled out of training with a bad back yesterday — but the England boss expects everyone except Rooney to be fit for Paraguay on Saturday.
Rooney’s appearance on the England training pitch has lifted hopes that he may soon be back in contention.
But Gary Neville, ruled out of the last World Cup with a broken metatarsal, issued a warning that Rooney remains a long way from match action.
Neville said: “It’s encouraging in one sense but I had an experience in 2002 while I was in Manchester recuperating from my broken foot and it’s not always how it appears.
“I was jogging prior to my scan and went to see the specialist thinking I would be given the go-ahead to start training and was told I’d have to have an operation four days later.
“I hope that doesn’t happen for Wayne, everyone wants him to take part in the World Cup, but until the surgeons have met tomorrow I don’t think anybody will know for sure.”
It is five-and-a-half weeks since Rooney broke his foot against Chelsea and Eriksson is fed up of questions about the Manchester United star.
Interest will intensify today as the country awaits the outcome of the all-important scan.
There is, however, still a chance the scan could show something which demands his withdrawal from the squad – in which case Jermain Defoe will come off the standby list.
Eriksson said: “I’m sure the doctor will phone as soon as he knows something. It’s up to the surgeons, the specialists and the doctors. I can’t judge it.
“I’ve said that he will take part in the World Cup and I still believe it very strongly.
“I look forward to the point where I don’t have to discuss scans and Wayne Rooney’s foot any more.”
Rooney looked happy as he went through the warm-up with his team-mates at their training base in Buhlertal.
He jogged around and took part in a lively throwing game before moving off to work one on one with fitness coach Ivan Carminati.
He put Rooney through several sprints, some longer runs and then worked him with a ball, although the striker did not unleash a shot at full power.
Neville, like Eriksson, wants to sweep the Rooney issue aside and concentrate on the Paraguay clash.
The Manchester United captain said: “It really is important that we focus on Paraguay as a team and not focus on players who aren’t there and can’t play.
“We haven’t got him for Saturday, I know that, so that’s all we’ve got to concentrate on and focus our minds on.”
Gerrard completed most of the training session before making his way off holding his back.
David Beckham left the session halfway through but John Terry was back after a day’s rest for his knee injury.
Eriksson said: “I think everybody will be on the pitch tomorrow except maybe Steven Gerrard.
Eriksson has been linked again with a job at Real Madrid but has promised to leave discussions until after the World Cup, saying he is excited about his last England mission: “There’s a sense that the World Cup has started. It’s different for everyone involved now we are in the base-camp in Germany.”
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