By Chris O'Brien
June 4 2006

England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will join some 50million Englishman in sweating on June 7th - the confirmed date for Wayne Rooney's decisive scan. The Manchester United star still looks a major doubt to play any part in the 2006 World Cup finals.

It has been confirmed that Wayne Rooney will miss England's group games for the forthcoming World Cup finals in Germany.

However, hopes are that the forward will be available for the latter stages of the tournament should Sven-Goran Eriksson's men progress through the preliminary stages of the eagerly-anticipated tournament. A June 7th scan in Manchester looks set to decide all.

You'd have to be living under a stone (doctor?!) not to know that the 20-year-old broke a bone in his foot as United surrendered their title hopes at Stamford Bridge. The press, supporters and even players seem to think England have little hope of success without the youngster, who will fly out with the England squad to Germany on Monday, only to return two days later for the decisive scan.

"Wayne will be accompanied by England doctor Leif Sward who will then analyse the scan with Manchester United." read an official statement from the Football Association.

England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has until June 9th to inform FIFA whether Rooney will remain in England's 23-man squad for the tournament. It is expected that if the scan shows the forward has even a remote chance of playing in the latter stages of the tournament, he will be selected by the Swede. This would see England take a massive gamble on their ability to qualify for the knock-out stages with only three recognised strikers, one of whom is an untested 17-year-old, another is the half-fit Michael Owen and the third is Peter Crouch! Ahem.

Jermaine Defoe and Andrew Johnson remain on stand-by for the tournament should Rooney play no part.