Hodgson declares Rooney has no injury
England expect striker to be fit for Scotland friendly, despite Manchester United manager saying injury sidelined star.
Wayne Rooney has no physical injury, England manager Roy Hodgson has declared after the Manchester United star trained with his national team-mates ahead of a friendly match.
Manchester United manager David Moyes said on Sunday that the unsettled striker had missed the Community Shield win over Wigan because of hamstring and shoulder injuries, the latter problem picked up in a behind-closed-doors game against Real Betis last weekend.
But Hodgson said after Rooney trained on Monday for Wednesday’s friendly with Scotland at Wembley that there was “no doubt in my mind that he’s not suffering from a physical injury”.
“It will be interesting to get the feedback from our training sessions and we can see how he looks. We’ll speak with Wayne tomorrow morning, ” Hodgson said at a media conference televised by Sky Sports News.
“Since he’s got over the injuries he’s not been able to train as intensively as we did today, so we’ll see how that pans out.
“He tells me that he’s been training on his own while Manchester United have had games, on some fitness work, but he hasn’t had a chance to do a session like we had today where he was involved in functional aspects of play.
“I expect him to tell me that everything was fine and I expect him to get up fit and ready to go tomorrow morning as well.”
‘No rift’
Despite blocking Chelsea’s pursuit for Rooney, Moyes insisted he had not fallen out with him, or banished him to the reserves.
The Premier League champions have rejected two bids in the past month from Chelsea for Rooney, who wants to leave Old Trafford after becoming unhappy at no longer being a regular starter.
Former United manager Alex Ferguson said a verbal transfer request was submitted before he handed over power at United to Moyes in May and the saga has overshadowed pre-season preparations.
Rooney has not played in any of the official pre-season matches.
In a prickly encounter with reporters after the 2-0 Community Shield win at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Moyes maintained that there was no rift with the 27-year-old England international.
You don't think I'm going to send England a fit player do you?
“Some of you might not like hearing this, but I didn’t fall out with Wayne,” Moyes said.
“Wayne trained with the reserves because it was his asking … anyone who wrote anything else was misleading their readers.”
Ferguson was renowned for his combative confrontations with the media, although Moyes’ exchange was not as heated on Sunday.
Moyes has said injuries had kept Rooney out of action, but despite deeming Rooney seemingly fit enough to play for England on Wednesday, the United manager said he was unlikely to be ready for United’s Premier League opener at Swansea on Saturday.
“I don’t see why you think that’s confusing,” Moyes said when asked about the situation. Tell me why you think it’s confusing.”
Moyes was challenged during the media conference on the fact that the England game, despite being a friendly, was a significant fixture like the Swansea game.
“You don’t think I’m going to send England a fit player do you?” the Scottish manager quipped in reply.
“He’s coming back, he’s breaking himself back into the team. It will be great for Manchester United because hopefully Wayne will get some playing time (for England).”