Whether or not it was because former Manchester United and current Trinidad striker saying that England should expect a very physical game, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has declared that beleaguered English and Manchester United Striker Wayne Rooney may not make his long-awaited against the Caribbean side.
Yorke said: ‘We have to be aggressive if we are to have a glimmer of hope.
‘We have to play with intensity and determination – not just against Rooney – the whole of England will know they have been in a physical game.’
Eriksson has yet to say explicitly whether the 20-year-old striker will see any action in the T&T/England encounter but it is looking increasingly unlikely that he will. Instead rumour has it that 17-year-old surprise pick Theo Walcott may make his debut before the crowd at Nuremburg if Michael Owen fails to last the 90 minutes again.
Eriksson had invited the Independent experts Angus Wallace and Chris Moran, of the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham to visit with Rooney prior to the game to check up on his fitness. The move intended as an olive branch to Manchester United over the decision to bring Rooney to Germany, may server now to back fire in the faces of the English bosses as they are not expected to arrive in Germany until at least Friday.
Trinidad & Tobago coach Leo Beenhakker says that he will welcome the sight of Rooney playing on field.
Said, he: ‘I hope Wayne can play. You have to see the great players at the World Cup.
‘I hope he is ready for part of the game. Perhaps for 20 minutes Wayne will come on the pitch.
‘As a fan of football I am looking forward to seeing him.’