Ferguson to call shots on Rooney

Alex Ferguson has left Sven-Goran Eriksson in no doubt he will be the one who has the final say on whether Wayne Rooney goes to the World Cup.

The Manchester United boss is furious with Eriksson for claiming he would be willing to take Rooney to Germany even if he was not fit enough to play until the quarter-finals of the competition.

Barely a fortnight after he erupted in frustration at the hopes being pinned on the 20-year-old to deliver the World Cup to England, Ferguson now feels the expectation around Rooney is once more being raised to unrealistic levels.

“We will do our best to get the boy to Germany but it will be us who will be doing the consulting,” warned Ferguson when asked whether he would discuss the situation with Eriksson before deciding on a course of action.

“At the moment we have to calm people down, rather than build up people’s expectation, which is what is happening at the moment.

“We will do our best to get the boy to Germany but if he is not fit, he is not going to go.”