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Eriksson issues encouraging Rooney bulletin

Wayne Rooney will definitely miss England's World Cup opener against Paraguay on Saturday
Wayne Rooney will definitely miss England's World Cup opener against Paraguay on Saturday

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson acknowledged Wayne Rooney's fitness looks 'very good' ahead of his scan tomorrow.

And ahead of Saturday's World Cup opener against Paraguay, Eriksson declared that the rest of the squad appears to be in good shape with no foreseeable problems.

Pictures of Rooney training have been encouraging, with the result of the scan on his broken metatarsal in Manchester deciding whether he will be able to rejoin his team-mates later in Germany, although he will play no part on Saturday.

Eriksson told a press conference in Baden-Baden this morning: 'I think he looks very good - but I don't really have other news about him.

'Very soon we will know what's going to happen about him but let's wait until tomorrow afternoon or Thursday morning.

'Let the surgeons and the specialists have their say.'

Eriksson is pleased with how stand-by Jermain Defoe has performed in training, but acknowledges the Tottenham striker may not figure in the tournament.

He added: 'I think Jermain is happy to be here - but if I have to tell him to leave it's not a nice conversation I'll have with him. But he's been very good and is in good shape.'

The Swede revealed that Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is a slight fitness doubt, explaining: 'He has a stiff back and left training for the last five minutes - but shouldn't be a problem for Saturday.

'Everything is so far absolutely perfect, there are no big problems and today I can't see any problems for Saturday - fingers crossed.'

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