Rooney backed by former manager
Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has backed Wayne Rooney ‘s aggression, and claims it is one of the reasons he is a world-class player, and the Leicester City manager is adamant that the striker must still be selected for Euro 2012, despite his three-game ban.
Asked whether he had ever tackled the Manchester United striker over his “red mist”, Eriksson said: “You are afraid to take away what his strengths are.
“The power and aggression are important to him. You have to take that.”
Whilst Eriksson was national manager, Rooney was famously sent off in England’s 2006 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Portugal. This ended up to be the Swede’s final game after his five-and-a-half year service as manager.
He is also a stern believer that the 25-year-olds behaviour has improved since he was manager.
“I said it in 2006, ‘don’t kill him, we need him'”, Eriksson said. “If he was perfect in everything it would be impossible to stop him.”
Eriksson said he “didn’t know if you could argue” with the Uefa decision to ban Rooney for the three Euro 2012 group matches for his kick at Miodrag Dzudovic in last Friday’s 2-2 draw against Montenegro.
“It is a pity because it is Wayne Rooney. But it gives you a very fit and hungry player in the quarter-final,” he said.
“Of course you have to take him. We are talking about Wayne Rooney. He could score the winning goal in the final.”
