World Cup 2006
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Harry Harris - Chief Football Writer - The Express
Thrills, spills and intrigue
The World Cup has so far been a kaleidoscope of goals, thrilling games, not too many shocks but plenty of attacking football, and reasonably strict referring. So far so good.
But it wouldn’t be a World Cup without all the intrigue. The bribery case with the Italians, the phony passport involving Cafu, and for our own delights, the will-he-won’t-he and when will he be fit.
Yes, the Wayne Rooney saga just goes on an on. So, here’s a touch of Rooney intrigue. Team Rooney gathered in an exclusive Italian restaurant in the heart of Frankfurt after England’s opening win, and this after Rooney warmed down on the pitch with the body language that told any on-lookers that he wanted to play as soon as possible.
Around the table in that Italian restaurant were assembled some of the most powerful and influential men in the football career of the kid on whom England’s hopes of winning the World Cup hinge.
Rooney’s 'super agent' Paul Stretford hosted the fine dining, champagne and exquisite wine in this lavish all expenses paid night out. Stretford’s guests were Nike, Coke, publishers Harper Collins who have a £5m five book deal, EA sports, and also, strangely enough, a key figure behind the scenes at Manchester Untied.
The group laughed and joked, and celebrated England’s opening win over Paraguay, but on the menu was Rooney’s metatarsal, and his incredible recovery rate. When Ronaldo was ushered away form a clinic specialising in psychological disorders to be hassled into playing an abortive role in the World Cup Finals in France, the conspiracy theory was that the Brazilian sponsors were responsible for lobbying for his appearance.
Brian Marwood is one of the most genuine football figures in the game, and as head of football for Nike, he was one of the privileged inner circle of Team Rooney. A former PFA leading light and ex-Arsenal winger Marwood has high principles and he told me yesterday in Frankfurt:
"There is no influence being brought to bare, how could there be? The decision rests with the medical experts and that’s precisely how it should be. Paul Stretford would agree with that, and so would I, and so would everyone around the table. Part of the talk, as it happens, was that five weeks ago none of us thought we would be here talking about Wayne Rooney playing in the tournament.
"It is a bonus merely to have him here, and when he plays has nothing to do with what any of us might have to say about the matter. Now there is a suggestion he could play on Thursday, but again that’s the decision for the medical experts. All I can tell you is that knowing Wayne the way that I do, he is itching to play."
Because Marwood’s integrity is unimpeachable, there can be no suspicion of any enforced pressure from the Team Rooney camp. But there is absolute delight from everyone connected to him that he will be appearing sooner rather than later.
Marwood added: "At Nike we were always keen to get involved with Wayne. We like to pick out icons of the game, and we always thought how could be an icon. Certainly the people around Wayne are convinced he will turn out to be the icon in this World cup too."
Stretford resigned as head of the Formation Group when he was indicted by the FA on charges relating to the way he poached Rooney form his previous agent.
A court case has also involved Rooney’s agent, and although he is supposed to have taken a back seat in the company, Stretford was spotted with Rooney every step of the way with his last controversial scan that set off the row between Sir Alex and Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Sir Alex has insisted that Rooney doesn’t take any part in the group stages, so he will be complete exasperated to discover just how determined Rooney is to apply just a bit part in the game against Trinidad and Tobago.
Eriksson would like to bring him on for the final 20 minutes, but all logic suggests he would be better of waiting until next Tuesday against Sweden in Cologne - at the earliest.
Related Links
Harry Harris archive
- 1. Harry Harris writes for ntlworld
- 2. Can England do it This Time?
- 3. There's only one Metatarsal
- 4. England best for talent
- 5. Bags packed, fingers crossed
- 6. Thrills, spills and intrigue
- 7. Prawn sarnies, cap controversy and Swedish sentiment
- 8. Swedish endurance in Soho
- 9. Scolari has some explaining to do
- 10. Give Rooney the armband
- 11. A triumph for Germany