Skip to main content
U.S. Edition
Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FOOTBALL

Rooney raises hopes of Cup fitness

story.rooney.afp.gi.jpg
Bookmakers have cut the odds against Rooney playing during the World Cup.

CARRINGTON, England -- Wayne Rooney was kicking a ball at an England training session on Friday, raising hopes that he would be fit to play a part at the World Cup finals in June this month.

His Manchester United colleague right back Gary Neville was ruled out of the final World Cup warm-up game against Jamaica on Saturday because of a hamstring injury.

Reporters spotted Rooney, who broke his toe against Chelsea at the end of April, running and kicking the ball on a different part of the United training ground from the rest of his England team mates.

Rooney is scheduled to have a scan on his foot on June 7, three days before England open their World Cup campaign against Paraguay, to see whether he has a chance of playing any part in the tournament in Germany.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has until 24 hours before their opening Group B match against Paraguay on June 10 to decide whether to keep the gifted 20-year-old in the squad or replace him with a standby.

"News that Wayne Rooney is running and kicking a ball in training has sparked a punting plunge on him to play a part in the World Cup," bookmaker William Hill said in a news release on Friday, adding odds about him playing had been cut from 6/4 to 8/11.

"Our clients are following up stories that Wayne is already kicking a ball in training and that he told Prince William he expects to be fit to play," William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe said.

England assistant coach Steve McClaren said: "Wayne has been working with the United physios all this week.

"He's stepping things up, having the relevant scans and progressing well."

Rooney was accompanied by two members of Manchester United's backroom staff, but the session was stopped once the media were allowed into the official training session.

story.neville,gi.jpg
Neville is expected to return to training on Monday.

Neville missed training for a second day on Friday.

McClaren said: "Hopefully a few days rest and some work in the gym and he'll be back training on Monday."

Watford striker Marlon King has been left out of the Jamaica line-up at Old Trafford, despite apologizing for behavior which led to his expulsion from the squad on Thursday.

Jamaican football president Crenston Boxhill said he had no option but to expel King after the player entered the hotel with some 'uninvited guests' and reportedly launched a tirade at the Jamaican management when he found he had been locked out of his room.

"We have had some slightly embarrassing developments over the last couple of days," admitted Boxhill on Friday.

"I am disappointed, but not surprised at what Marlon has said but the truth is he returned to the hotel on Wednesday morning in an intoxicated state in the company of uninvited guests.

"When met by members of the team management, he said some inappropriate things, which were embarrassing and disrespectful, not just to the management but Jamaica as a whole.

"Marlon is an integral part of the team but I had to take a stand. He gave me no choice other than to ask him to leave."

Jason Euell was out with King on Wednesday but allowed to stay in the squad after being fined half his match fee.

Euell said the incident had spoiled the lead-up to the match.

"It's something that we didn't want to bring into the camp and get involved in the game because of how big it is," he said. "What's happened is unfortunate and now we just have to concentrate on the game."

Sheffield Wednesday's Deon Burton will partner Ricardo Fuller in attack for the first meeting between the two countries.

Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
 
 
 
 
CNN U.S.
CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNNAvantGo Ad Info About Us Preferences
Search
© 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map.
Offsite Icon External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pipeline Icon Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more
Radio News Icon Download audio news  |  RSS Feed Add RSS headlines