England striker Wayne Rooney will not be fit to resume training for six weeks, a scan on his broken metatarsal has revealed.

If the six-week prediction by medical staff is correct, Rooney would be fit just two days before the final.

 

England's first World Cup group stage match against Paraguay is on 10 June, with the final on 9 July.

 

Rooney, 20, will have another scan on 14 June to determine what role if any he will have during the campaign.

 

BBC have changed their story now!

 

Rooney to miss England group ties

 

Wayne Rooney will definitely miss England's World Cup group stage games.

The striker, who has had a scan on his broken metatarsal, has been told he will not discover when he can resume training for another three weeks.

 

More soon.

 

Poor Ronney!

Perhaps thinking of the next WC is more practical for him.

...and Man Utd's doctor/physician has been fired after 10 years working in the club

No offense, but Messi's gonna kick your ass now

bad news, but I didn't expect him to play in the group stage matches. I really hope he'll be able to play in the finals.

Rooney scan date brought forward

 

The next scan on Wayne Rooney's broken foot will now take place on 7 June - a week earlier than originally planned. Rooney, 20, had been due to fly to Germany with the rest of the England World Cup squad on 5 June, returning a week-and-a-half later for the scan.

 

However, it was decided at a meeting on Monday to bring that date forward.

 

The deadline for England to change their squad is 9 June, which means now they will have time to replace Rooney should the scan provide bad news.

 

If the scan had remained on 14 June, and if Rooney had been passed unfit for the tournament, England not have had the option of replacing him.

 

Jermain Defoe of Tottenham and Andy Johnson, set to move from Crystal Palace to Everton, are the strikers standing by to replace Manchester United man Rooney if he cannot play at the World Cup.

 

However, if the scan on 7 June shows that the fourth metatarsal in Rooney's right foot has healed, he would have three days to get fit for England's first group game or, more likely, two-and-a-half weeks to prepare for the first knockout round match should Englsnd qualify.

 

Monday's meeting, at Manchester United's Carrington training ground, was attended by Sir Alex Ferguson, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and medical experts from Rooney's club and the national team.

 

A statement issued by Manchester United read: "It has been agreed to obtain a further precautionary CT scan on June 7 in order to help the England management to make a decision (on Rooney's fitness) before the deadline of 9 June.

 

"Both parties agree that everything possible is being done to aid recovery of a fracture that involves the joint."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/5026922.stm

^Actually, it's been said that this might all have been a ploy to deflect pressure away from the rest of the team, who have come to terms with the fact Rooney might not make it.

If that's true, it's a masterstroke!

It also shows how poor the FA are at planning important dates in the first place!

Personally I think even the 2nd round is too early, realistically I think he might make the last 20 minutes of the Q/F at the earliest.