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Hitzfeld has a take on troubled striker Rooney
Source: Agencies |
September 7, 2010, Tuesday
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WAYNE Rooney's personal issues will affect the England forward before the team's European Championship qualifier against Switzerland today, Ottmar Hitzfeld said yesterday.
However, the Switzerland coach said that England counterpart Fabio Capello should pick Rooney to play despite lurid newspaper allegations about his private life.
"I'm no psychologist but, of course, such a thing like that will weigh on a player," Hitzfeld said. "But I expect Capello will let Wayne Rooney play because he's in great condition at the moment and a coach isn't going to pass on a player of his caliber."
Two Sunday tabloids have alleged that the Manchester United player cheated repeatedly on his then-pregnant wife last year with a prostitute.
Rooney boarded a flight to Basel with the England squad on Monday morning following speculation he could miss the match to be with his family.
Hitzfeld dismissed suggestions that Rooney's lackluster display at the World Cup in South Africa could be connected with his personal issues.
"The only reason Rooney wasn't in great form at the World Cup was because he'd been injured for a long time beforehand," the veteran German coach said.
Rooney has not scored in international play for a year but showed good form last Friday, helping create all of England's goals in a 4-0 victory over Bulgaria to open the Euro 2012 qualifying program.
"If you give England room then they're extremely dangerous," Hitzfeld said. "I think they've learned from their mistakes during the World Cup when they suffered counterattacks."
Hitzfeld has his own on-field issues with a Swiss team which has struggled to score and failed to win at home in six games, including a 0-0 draw with Australia in a friendly last Friday.
"Total attacking to end the goal drought wouldn't be the right thing," Hitzfeld said.
No Switzerland striker has scored in 11 games, since last September 9 when Alex Frei and Eren Derdiyok tallied during a 2-2 draw in a World Cup qualifier in Latvia.
Switzerland's only goal in South Africa - where it failed to progress from its group - came from midfielder Gelson Fernandes in an upset 1-0 win over eventual champion Spain.
"We always go into a game to win," Hitzfeld said. "We have to find the right mix between the Spain game, when we defended very well, and switching swiftly into offense."
Frei, the Switzerland captain who was jeered by home fans after missing a penalty against Australia, is set to face England counterpart Steven Gerrard on the field for the first time since a controversial incident in a group match at Euro 2004.
Frei was caught on camera spitting at Gerrard during England's 3-0 win in Coimbra, Portugal, and later suspended for three matches by UEFA, which used video evidence after it was not spotted by the match referee.
However, the Switzerland coach said that England counterpart Fabio Capello should pick Rooney to play despite lurid newspaper allegations about his private life.
"I'm no psychologist but, of course, such a thing like that will weigh on a player," Hitzfeld said. "But I expect Capello will let Wayne Rooney play because he's in great condition at the moment and a coach isn't going to pass on a player of his caliber."
Two Sunday tabloids have alleged that the Manchester United player cheated repeatedly on his then-pregnant wife last year with a prostitute.
Rooney boarded a flight to Basel with the England squad on Monday morning following speculation he could miss the match to be with his family.
Hitzfeld dismissed suggestions that Rooney's lackluster display at the World Cup in South Africa could be connected with his personal issues.
"The only reason Rooney wasn't in great form at the World Cup was because he'd been injured for a long time beforehand," the veteran German coach said.
Rooney has not scored in international play for a year but showed good form last Friday, helping create all of England's goals in a 4-0 victory over Bulgaria to open the Euro 2012 qualifying program.
"If you give England room then they're extremely dangerous," Hitzfeld said. "I think they've learned from their mistakes during the World Cup when they suffered counterattacks."
Hitzfeld has his own on-field issues with a Swiss team which has struggled to score and failed to win at home in six games, including a 0-0 draw with Australia in a friendly last Friday.
"Total attacking to end the goal drought wouldn't be the right thing," Hitzfeld said.
No Switzerland striker has scored in 11 games, since last September 9 when Alex Frei and Eren Derdiyok tallied during a 2-2 draw in a World Cup qualifier in Latvia.
Switzerland's only goal in South Africa - where it failed to progress from its group - came from midfielder Gelson Fernandes in an upset 1-0 win over eventual champion Spain.
"We always go into a game to win," Hitzfeld said. "We have to find the right mix between the Spain game, when we defended very well, and switching swiftly into offense."
Frei, the Switzerland captain who was jeered by home fans after missing a penalty against Australia, is set to face England counterpart Steven Gerrard on the field for the first time since a controversial incident in a group match at Euro 2004.
Frei was caught on camera spitting at Gerrard during England's 3-0 win in Coimbra, Portugal, and later suspended for three matches by UEFA, which used video evidence after it was not spotted by the match referee.
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