READING, England, May 25 - England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says the results
of Wayne Rooney's scan on his broken foot will be known early on Friday, as a
country waits to see if the striker will make the World Cup.
Rooney, named in Eriksson's squad for the finals despite the injury
suffered on Manchester United duty last month, had a scan on Thursday to check
progress on his recovery.
Asked about the verdict after England's 'B' team lost 2-1 to Belarus in a
friendly on Thursday, Eriksson said: "Nothing new, it will come tomorrow
morning.
"The scan has been done and the (United) doctor will look at it tomorrow
morning at 9.00am or 9.30am and I think it's important to wait until he has seen
it."
Eriksson said he had not spoken to Rooney since the striker had the scan.
"But I suppose he doesn't know the result of the scan either. We have to wait."
Eriksson also played down the abrupt departure from United of doctor Mike
Stone earlier this week.
"Manchester United took the decision they took but I suppose they are
extremely well covered behind Mr Stone," said the Swede. "I'm not worried at all
about that."
Stone, who had been with United for 10 years, was put in charge of Rooney's
rehabilitation after the forward broke the fourth metatarsal on his right foot
on April 29 at Chelsea.
Unless the results of the scan are dire, England could well decide to take
Rooney to Germany and then assess his condition after their arrival.
Under FIFA rules, the inspirational 20-year-old striker could be replaced in
the squad up to 24 hours before their opening game in Group B against Paraguay
on June 10.
Peter Crouch, Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard are among the players in the
existing squad who Eriksson has said could take Rooney's place behind Michael
Owen as a second striker.
Eriksson has long made it clear he would take Rooney to the finals even if
the striker was not fit to play until the latter stages of the tournament,
assuming England reached that far.
