WAYNE ROONEY volunteered to go in goal as David Beckham put the balls down for free-kick practice yesterday. The Manchester United striker had to be dragged away before he was ruled out of the World Cup with broken fingers, but, after straining like a bulldog, tonight he is finally unleashed.
Sven-Göran Eriksson is sometimes reluctant to confirm the time, never mind his starting XI, but the head coach was more than happy to promise that Rooney would stride out against Sweden. Not much that England have done has terrified their rivals in this tournament, but, according to Eriksson, writing one name on the teamsheet will spread fear.
“Scared is not the right word in football but they will be worried,” he said. “I think opponents don’t want to hear that Wayne Rooney is going to start. He can do so many things.”
All that is expected of Rooney tonight is that he transforms England into potential world champions. It is one heck of a task after more than seven weeks out injured, but England will not win this World Cup simply by being hard to beat.
Someone threw in the statistic yesterday that Rooney had not scored a competitive goal for his country since Euro 2004, but that was less revealing than the testimony from Sweden’s own outstanding forward. “Rooney will make any team better,” Henrik Larsson said. “Even Brazil.”
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Significant improvement is required from England before the knockout stages commence this weekend, when they will play either Germany or Ecuador. The results from group A this afternoon will send a frisson through the England camp, but Eriksson claims that he will barely notice. He is committed to winning group B even if that means a confrontation with Germany.
Five days of old war jokes and “For You, Fritz, the World Cup is over” headlines are enough to make anyone prefer that England face Ecuador, but for Eriksson there is only one thought. Winning the group should keep England away from a quarter-final meeting with the spectacularly in-form Argentina.
To that end, England need only a point tonight and Eriksson is confident enough to rest Steven Gerrard, who is on a booking. One Swedish newspaper has mockingly thanked him for picking the much- maligned Owen Hargreaves, but the Bayern Munich player has the chance to rebuild his reputation in his preferred role at the base of midfield.
Frank Lampard will miss the next game if he is booked, so Jermaine Jenas is likely to be brought on as soon as Eriksson dares. He also hopes to give Theo Walcott his competitive debut from the bench. The teenager would become, at 17 years and 96 days, the second- youngest player in World Cup finals history, behind only Norman Whiteside.
Sweden themselves require only a draw to qualify, which, in cool conditions, may ensure that the game does not become overheated. Eriksson talked of Rooney’s fire and need to “live on the edge”, but he is sure to remind a combative character not to do anything stupid.
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A first victory over Sweden in 38 years would be uplifting, but the priorities for England are to pass well, keep the ball and to see encouraging signs from Rooney and Michael Owen. Eriksson gave a peeved reaction when asked about Owen’s criticism of the service to the front men — “I’ve heard that for 30 years from a striker who’s not scoring,” he said — but he accepted that England had played too many long balls with Peter Crouch in the team.
Tonight’s game marks Rio Ferdinand’s 50th cap but, most of all, Eriksson will hope that it is remembered as the occasion when England’s campaign was relaunched. “Everyone wants to see Rooney in an England shirt,” the Swede said. “Even if you support Manchester City.”