Rooney's knee sparks debate

Wayne Rooney today found that his knee was at the centre of national scrutiny as the tug-of-war between England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and Everton boss David Moyes took a new twist.

Eriksson’s battle with Moyes over Rooney’s availability for next week’s friendly in South Africa has again upped the ante in the ongoing club versus country debate.

That gulf looked to have been bridged last week when a ‘charter of commitment’ was proudly unveiled by the Football Association after two meetings between leading managers and Eriksson.

However, Moyes promptly insisted that he did not want Rooney to be called up for the friendly in Durban on May 22.

Eriksson replied by insisting he would still summon him, only for the Everton boss to declare that Rooney had suffered a tear in his right knee ligament following Sunday’s game against Manchester United.

Eriksson nevertheless named Rooney in his latest squad yesterday in any case, stressing that the England medical staff would make a final decision on his availability on Sunday.

That is on the eve of England’s flight to Durban, with Eriksson determined to give the 17-year-old as long as possible to recover from his knee injury.

“From what I’ve heard from the scan, Wayne Rooney does have a problem,” he observed.

“The doctors didn’t know exactly how long it would take him to recover, so I decided he will be picked for the squad and will meet up with us on Sunday.

“I don’t think it’s a test or a competition. It’s common sense. Let the doctors decide on Sunday and that’s it.

“Then there can’t be any discussions as to who is right or wrong. We have the right to do it, so why not do it?

“Rooney will have treatment and rest this week and then we will see.”

Moyes nevertheless immediately hit back by insisting that “it’s a genuine injury and the scan is there to prove it”, adding that he expected the injury to keep Rooney out of action for “a couple of weeks”.

Eriksson therefore faces a fine balancing act on Sunday between attempting to keep Rooney involved in the squad, but not risking the teenager’s long-term fitness.

The over-riding problem, however, is that while both managers are anxious to decrease the pressure around Rooney, this apparent spat has only served to increase the spotlight on him.

Indeed, his right knee is following Paul Gascoigne’s knee, Gary Lineker’s big toe, David Beckham’s metatarsal and Michael Owen’s hamstring in becoming a source of national debate.

Eriksson, meanwhile, faces a further wait to see if John Terry is fit to travel after the Chelsea defender missed the past two games for his club due to a thigh injury.

“He has a muscle problem but we spoke to Claudio Ranieri, Terry himself and the Chelsea doctor. He will hopefully be fit for next weekend,” he said.

Terry’s name was included along with Rooney’s in the 25-man England party, which was otherwise notable for the omission of 39-year-old David Seaman.

That seemed to spell the end of the keeper’s distinguished international career, although Eriksson diplomatically left the door slightly ajar if he could keep his place at Highbury next season.

While Seaman will be more immediately replaced in the England team by David James and in the squad by Ian Walker, James Beattie received a recall up front instead of Alan Smith.

Phil Neville, Matthew Upson and Trevor Sinclair were also selected as Eriksson is deprived of Nicky Butt, Sol Campbell, Gary Neville, Jonathan Woodgate, Wes Brown and Francis Jeffers through injury.

Beattie, along with Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge, will not travel to South Africa due to their involvement in the FA Cup final, while Beckham will leave the squad after the game.

Owen Hargreaves, who takes part in the German cup final with Bayern Munich on May 30, will also be a late-comer after the subsequent training camp at La Manga.