Wayne Rooney - will we see this at the World Cup?

Wayne Rooney - will we see this at the World Cup?

Four years on and yet again the metatarsal bone is a subject us football fans will start to learn about. This time its Rooney and just like the Japan and South Korea World Cup England's best player is in a race for fitness. The difference this time is that we have no chance of winning without Rooney.

According to the papers it take six weeks to get over the injury, but it can be done in four or five. Some players are back playing in six weeks some aren't. The big question that England have to answer is will they be able to get enough point from the group stages so they can give him the time to recover properly. It is no secret that one of the main reason we failed in the last World Cup was the lack of fitness of Beckham and Owen. It will be down to the manager as to whether or not he makes the same mistake again. There is no doubt that he has to take him, it will all be about when he can be risked and when he can't. I would hope that Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago are easily beaten to give him that extra week before the Sweden game. If we have already qualified for the second round I would not even risk him then, just save him up for the Germany game and then march onto the quarter finals.

In the short term it is time to break out the cotton wool, wrap him up in it and then ensure he gets the best treatment possible to make the quickest recovery he can.