Eriksson bows to Moyes and omits Rooney
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.This time Sven Goran Eriksson has listened to David Moyes and left Wayne Rooney out of his England squad to face Croatia in the friendly match against Croatia at Ipswich next Wednesday.
Moyes' plea for his teenage prodigy to be rested and not taken all the way to South Africa at the end of last season for an exhibition game went unheeded. The Swede appears to have accepted the Everton manager's claim yesterday that Rooney is not match fit, but, then again, it was the evidence of his own eyes at Highbury yesterday, where Eriksson saw Rooney return as a second-half substitute for 33 minutes, that swung his decision.
Moyes said of Rooney: "He needs a week's training with me and a reserve game with us on Wednesday night. I've communicated that to Sven. If he was fit I'd have played him today."
Eriksson, who included his captain David Beckham, has called up the Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland for the first time alongside his club-mates, Danny Murphy, Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey. There is also a strong Chelsea contingent, with their new signings, Joe Cole and Wayne Bridge, called up along with John Terry and Frank Lampard. But there is no place for the other player who crossd over from West Ham to Stamford Bridge during the summer, Glen Johnson. The full-back has been given another outing in the Under-21 squad named by David Platt for their match, ironically, at Upton Park.
The Leeds United defender Danny Mills remains in favour with Eriksson, who has also stood by Mills' Elland Road team-mate, the goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
England squad: James (West Ham), Robinson (Leeds), Kirkland (Liverpool), Mills (Leeds), Bridge (Chelsea), A Cole (Arsenal), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), P Neville (Man Utd), Campbell (Arsenal), Woodgate (Newcastle), Beckham (Real Madrid), Scholes (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Dyer (Newcastle), Murphy (Liverpool), Gerrard (Liverpool), Sinclair (Man City), J Cole (Chelsea), Butt (Man Utd), Owen (Liverpool), Heskey (Liverpool), Beattie (Southampton).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments