Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed that Wayne Rooney will become the youngest player ever to play for England against Australia tomorrow night. The 17-year-old Everton striker will play the second half as part of the ‘young XI’ the Swede intends to play after fielding a more orthodox side in the first period of the Upton Park friendly.
And Eriksson, who said he had taken Rooney to one side for a one-on-one chat in training yesterday, reckons the Merseyside prodigy will not be overawed by the occasion. He said: “The plans are that he (Rooney) will start the second half. Of course it's a great, great thing for him but I think he deserves it, especially when we decided to play a young team, and it will be very interesting to see. When you are 17 and playing a senior match for England there is going to be huge interest and also the fact he is going to be youngest ever, but he can handle it.”
Eriksson said he would stand by his decision to play a ‘young England’ team in the second half no matter what the score was at the interval. “Whatever the result in the first half, I think it is more important to save the players,” said the Swede.
Filed by James Boylan.
