Date:29/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/29/stories/2006062902612100.htm

Sport - Football

Rooney's quick return surprises Ferdinand

Buehlertal: Rio Ferdinand secretly doubted when it came to Wayne Rooney's fitness level at the start of the World Cup.

"Even when I spoke to you guys and said `Yeah he'll be all right, he'll be fit,' I had quite a bit of doubt in my mind that he'd be fit and ready," Ferdinand told reporters on Tuesday. "He's naturally a fit lad and ... he's naturally a good footballer so it's not like he's going to lose his touch overnight."

Rooney sat out England's first match, but came on as a substitute in the second and started the last two. He played the full 90 minutes against Ecuador in the second round.

"But we don't want to go overboard and say he's back to his maximum," added Ferdinand, a teammate of Rooney at Manchester United as well.

Rooney broke a bone in his right foot on April 29. Since he started playing again in Germany, his form has improved and he has provided a spark for a team that has not played its best soccer at this year's World Cup.

But the 20-year-old Rooney playing at all was a surprise to most. Maybe his dedication to the game helped. — AP