Rooney stays. Sir Alex Ferguson, take a bow.

SO Wayne Rooney stays at Manchester United. After an eventful week, Sir Alex Ferguson can happily walk out on to the steps outside Old Trafford and take a deep bow.

In the single sweep of a pen, the 67-year-old has managed to come out of one of the toughest periods of his 25-year reign smelling of bright red roses. And a red-faced Rooney gets rid of the for sale signs less than 48 hours after saying he was off.

Not only has Sir Alex persuaded Rooney and his agent Paul Stretford to settle for something a long way short of their hoped-for £250,000-a-week, he has also backed the owners into a corner.

The Yankee-doodle Glazers, who have reduced United to bit-part players in the big picture with their huge interest repayments, had no choice other than to agree to Rooney's demands for a pay rise nearly two years before the end of his contract.

And the unspoken reassurance is this: United are still a world class club, despite those Glazer debts.

Rooney will probably be on around £170,000-a-week, though we may never learn the full details of this shiny new four-year deal.

But we can be sure it's some way short of Yaya Toure's Manchester City pay packet. Sheikh Mansour has promised him what amounts to £220,000-a-week if City finish in the top four this season and earn a place in the Champions League for the first time.

Ultimately, Rooney has had to compromise. With FIFA and UEFA promising a salary cap, Stretford was hoping for that dreamt-of best-in-the-world million pounds a month.

Instread, Rooney will be tied to United long after Sir Alex has finally reached for the pipe a slippers. And if he attempts to leave before June 2015, the transfer fee will be exorbitant. Somewhere in the £60m bracket.

Sir Alex said: "I told the boy that the door is always open and I'm delighted Wayne has agreed to stay.

"Sometimes, when you're in a club, it can be hard to realise just how big it is and it takes something like the events of the last few days to make you understand.

"It's been a difficult week, but the intensity of the coverage is what we expect at Manchester United.

"I think Wayne now understands what a great club Manchester United is.

"I'm pleased he has accepted the challenge to guide the younger players and establish himself as one of United's great players. It shows character and belief in what we stand for.

"I'm sure everyone involved with the club will now get behind Wayne and show him the support he needs to produce the performances we know he is capable of."

With Stoke to come on Sunday, Rooney is now required to produce the kind of performances United fans enjoyed last season rather than the routine fare we have been subjected to during and since the World Cup.

Rooney himself released a statement saying: Rooney, 24, added: "I said on Wednesday the manager's a genius and it's his belief and support that have convinced me to stay. I'm delighted to sign another deal at United.

"I'm signing a new deal in the absolute belief that the management, coaching staff, board and owners are totally committed to making sure United maintains its proud winning history — which is the reason I joined the club in the first place.

"I'm sure the fans over the last week have felt let down by what they've read and seen, but my position was from concern over the future.

"The fans have been brilliant with me since I arrived and it's up to me through my performances to win them over again."

Given that mobs were forming outside his house last night and death threats had been made against him, Rooney really had no choice.

The winner here, without question, is Sir Alex Ferguson. Whether Rooney can respond with goals and peformances is another question.

One small query I didn't have time to raise on Sky News this morning: Just how will Rooney's team-mates respond to this undeserved pay-rise, which will make him the best-paid player in the history of a club which has fielded such luminaries as George Best, Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson and Eric Cantona?

We shall find out on Sunday...

Champions League preview: It's Rooney tunes

ONE name will dominate this week’s Champions League return around Europe. Here’s a clue. It rhymes, some would say aptly, with Pained Loony.

Wayne Rooney’s representatives have spent the last 24 hours letting it be known their money making machine will not sign an extension to his current contract, due to expire in the summer of 2012.

So all the talk before Wednesday’s Group C clash against Turkey’s Bursaspor at Old Trafford will be of the man affectionately known as Shrek.

Will he play? Will he cross Manchester to City in January – or perhaps Barcelona or Chelsea will snap him up for a world record £80 million? Look, this isn’t just supposition any more. The 24-year-old has scored a single goal for United this season after last winter’s 34-goal spree.

Since allegations surrounding his private life emerged – it was claimed with some relish that he had slept with a prostitute while his wife Colleen was pregnant with their son Kai – Rooney has been a peripheral figure at United. Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted his striker has had an ankle injury ever since - but after his mediocre performance in England’s 0-0 draw with Montenegro a week ago, Rooney insisted he has been fit throughout the turmoil following the News of the World’s revelations.

Rooney said: “I have been fit all season. No ankle injury. I haven’t missed a training session.”

Which of course set him on an instant collision course with his manager, with Rooney playing the crash test dummy. Nobody makes rock-hard Glaswegian Fergie, the son of a dockyard worker, look stupid.

And under the Webster ruling (Article 17 of Fifa's transfer regulations, named after the former Hearts player Andy Webster), Rooney could pay off the final year of his current annual salary and buy out his contract for a small compensation fee. That means he could go for £5.5m at the end of the season.

With United denying they will sell him (“nonsense” is how they describe the current reports) and Real Madrid insisting they had no plans to fork out another £80m for Cristiano Ronaldo’s ugly step-brother, it’s tempting to think this will all blow over, like it did for John Terry and Peter Crouch after allegations over their private lives.

Both are happily back playing for club and country. Surely Rooney, who went into the World Cup as “the best striker in the world” will patch it up with his boss (like he appears to have done with his wife, he even took the mum-in-law shopping over the weekend) and they’ll all live happily ever after? But no, this one won’t go away. Sleeping with a prostitute is one thing. Contradicting Sir Alex Ferguson in public is another.

Fergie has made his decision, Rooney is standing firm. Like so many before him – David Beckham, Jaap Stam, Bryan Robson, Paul McGrath, Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Nicky Butt and Ruud van Nistelrooy among them – Rooney is about to find out that no player is bigger than Manchester United. And no star shines brighter than Sir Alex Ferguson in the red half of Manchester. Fergie is the master of knowing when a player should go.

No matter how talented, no matter how many replica shirts he may shift, the sell-by date is set by the gaffer. On the sidelines you’ve got former United boss Tommy “Rent-a-gob” Docherty insisting: “Ferguson must go, not Rooney”.

Clearly the man is deluded.

There can be only one winner here and it isn’t Shrek. United survived the departure of all those stars listed above – some apparently at the peak of their powers - and have managed quite nicely, thank you.

While we wait to find out whether Rooney will start against the Turks on Wednesday, some may stwitch their to Rafa Benitez. Since leaving Liverpool four months ago (and what a perfectly timed move that was!) Benitez has been under scrutiny at Internazionale.

Signed to replace Real-bound Jose Mourinho by the European champions, Benitez has struggled to convince at the San Siro.

Wednesday night’s visit of Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham, handily placed in both Group A and the Premier League, could be decisive for Benitez if he is to convince the Italians he is a worthy successor to Mourinho. After a squeaky 1-0 win over Cagliari over the weekend, Benitez said he was considering buying reinforcements in January and he said of the Spurs clash: "It will be a difficult encounter, they’re strong. And fast."

But first, on Tuesday night, Chelsea go to Spartak Moscow in Group F while Arsenal have got Ukraine’s not-to-be-sneezed-at Shakhtar Donetzk at the Emirates Stadium in Group H.

Chelsea remain clear front-runners in the Premier League despite Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, but they won’t relish a return to Moscow, where John Terry famously allowed Manchester United to lift the European Cup in the 2008 penalty shoot-out on that notoriously plastic pitch. This week Terry must deal with Brazilian Ari on the Astroturf.

He’s a strapping six-footer who has scored seven goals in 17 starts for Spartak, currently fourth in the Russian league. And I’m being told to back Ari.

Bayern Munich, trailing a massive 1-0 points behind surprise Bundesliga leaders Mainz and Borrusia Dortmund, have got Cluj Napoca at home while Roma are waiting to snatch top spot in Group E by beating Basel. Bayern need Miroslav Klose, internationally sublime, to score a couple of goals for his Bayern paymasters.

Otherwise terms like crisis may be needed for the side currently ”doing a Liverpool” in Germany, where they are languishing in 10th spot.

Real Madrid take on AC Milan at the Bernebeu in what could be the game of the week in Group G where Ajax and Auxerre appear to be battling it out for third spot and a play in the Europa League.

Barcelona should be far too good for Copenhagen at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night which should open up Group D nicely for Panathinaikos or Russians Rubin Kazan, who meet in Greece.

Werder Bremen’s trip to Dutch champions FC Twente could have significant impact in Group A, where both teams currently trail joint-leaders Spurs and Inter by three points.

In Group B, clear leaders Lyon entertain Portguese giants Benfica while Schalke 04 should be too much for Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv. Rangers, currently second in Group C behind United, will do well to take a point off Spain’s Valencia at Ibrox and cling on to second place.

Lampard and Gerrard are not among the best midfielders in the Premier League. Who says so? Their fellow professionals!

FRANK LAMPARD is not one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. Neither is Steven Gerrard. Who says so? Their fellow professionals.

When the Professional Footballers’ Association named their team of the season today, neither Chelsea stalwart Lampard – who scored twice in the 7-0 demolition of Stoke yesterday – nor Gerrard – who produced a rasper for Liverpool against Burnley – were included.

And if England manager Fabio Capello needed a further blow before he names his provisional World Cup squad of 30 on May 11, John Terry wasn’t included either in a side which featured Irishman Richard Dunne of Aston Villa and Arsenal’s new find, Belgian Thomas Vermaelen, in the heart of defence.

There was no place either for Ashley Cole, generally considered the best left-back in the country, though he can blame injury for the lack of faith shown in his compact talents by his colleagues. That’s fair enough, but how United’s Darren Fletcher gets a place ahead of Lamps or Gerrard, I’ll never understand.

Cesc Fabregas? Fair enough, though he was far less influential than either Lampard or Gerrard this season. Still, I'd love to see the side named in London last night compete in the World Cup under a Premier League flag!

The team picked by the PFA (listed in full below) will generally depress Capello. There are just three Englishmen included: young Joe Hart in goal, the inspirational James Milner in the middle of the park and, of course, Wayne Rooney up front.

But the good news for Capello comes in the individual awards. As expected Rooney, top scorer in the Premier League with 24 this season, gets the nod as the Players’ Player of the Year, while Milner, who replaced Rooney as the youngest scorer in the top flight when he scored for Leeds at 16 in 2002, earns the Young Player accolade.

Rooney, twice a winner of the Young Player award, continues a bit of a Manchester United tradition: Ryan Giggs won it for his ageless talents last season while Cristiano Ronaldo won it in 2007 and 2008 before decamping for Real Madrid.

All the talk of course, is of Rooney’s gluteus maximus injury, also known locally as “the pain in the Arsenal.” United say he’ll be out for the last two games of the season but Rooney himself insists he will try to make himself available: another reason to be uncheerful for Capello.

Rooney, interviewed by Sky’s superb analyst Jeff Stelling after winning his award last night, said: “I voted for Didier Drogba for the senior award and Cesc Fabregas for young player.”

Asked if he thought he was the best in the world, Rooney grinned modestly: “It's nice that people put me up there, but for me I think Messi is the best in the world.”

He insisted his knee and his backside WILL be fit for the World Cup, as Stelling sympathetically said: “The whole nation gets in a panic when you’ve got a runny nose.”

Rooney added: 'You rely on the support and service of your team-mates. Without the support of people like Antonio Valencia (who has effectively replaced Ronaldo at United and was also named in the Premier League team of the season), I wouldn't be scoring goals. A lot of what I think I've achieved personally this season is down to that support from my team-mates.”

Rooney’s stats this season – assuming he doesn’t play in those last two games against Sunderland and Stoke – are: 230 shots, 82 on target, 34 goals in total, 18 with the right foot, an unprecedented 10 with the head, six with the left foot.

He has scored 20 at home, 12 away – and those two at Wembley. Thirteen goals came in first half, 21 in the second half. Some season.

But in the Premier League at least, he could be over-taken by Didier Drogba, who is one behind him on 24, with Liverpool and Wigan to play.

The Premier League team of the season, as selected by the Premier League players: Joe Hart (Birmingham, on loan from Manchester City/England), Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea/Serbia), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal/Belgium), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa/Republic of Ireland), Patrice Evra (Manchester United/France), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United/Ecuador), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal/Spain), Darren Fletcher (Manchester United/Scotland), James Milner (Aston Villa/England), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United/England), Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Ivory Coast).

My view? Dunne is a poor man’s Terry, Fletcher can’t compete with Lampard in terms of goals or presence, Sunderland’s Darren Bent deserved a shout ahead of Drogba. He’s scored one less goal for Sunderland who have scored 47 goals to Chelsea’s 93.

Apart from that? I'd suggest Arsenal's Bacary Sagna ahead of Ivanovic at right back but I'd be showing my bias!

Otherwise, this combination, boasting players from nine nations, would be capable of taking on just about any other League Select XI in the world. Except, perhaps, for La Liga.

But then that English v. Spanish debate could dominate the World Cup at all levels this summer.

Who the hell is Neal Collins (nealcol on Twitter)? See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqck5JuZtuc or www.nealcollins.co.uk .

John Barnes: South Africa is like Jamaica, there's nothing to fear

JOHN BARNES is ready to star throughout the World Cup at the age of 46 – by re-recording his 1990 World Cup rap “The World In Motion” for England sponsors Mars.

But more importantly, on the day South Africans were scuffling for tickets in the latest release from FIFA, he believes: “There will be no problems. I’ve been over a dozen times and there is nothing to scare anybody in Africa.”

Barnes (pictured above performing the original version of the song, which went to No1) laughs off his role as a resurrected rapper, preferring to concentrate on the festival of football to come. He told me: “South Africa? I’ve been many times. Three times last year, twice this year. I do television work, soccer exhibitions, and I’m going out for the 2018 bid team in mid-May.

“Will there be trouble? I don’t think it’s an issue at all. Look, I’m from Jamaica - a beautiful country. But it has a bad reputation. People say you’re going to get killed, everyohne smokes marijuana all the time. They say don’t go it’s dangerous to go on holiday to Jamaica, like South Africa. But it can happen anywhere.

“People have preconceptions of places, but in South Africa, they love football. British fans can walk around without fear. They’ll only get in trouble if they’re stupid.

“Sadly, people have a certain agenda. They want to knock the first World Cup in Africa. But when you go over, people come up and talk to you. I’ve been there a dozen times.

“I was over in Mandela Square in Sandton last November, playing five-a-side in the middle of the mall against Brazil and Germany. I ruptured my quad tendon just above the knee, so my football days are over for now!”

He vividly recalls his first visit, just after democracy dawned and Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994. He remembers: “I was still playing for Liverpool – we played against Cape Town Spurs, Kaizer Chiefs and Aston Villa.

“And I did a documentary too. I interviewed FW De Klerk and Mandela. They took me to Soweto. Coming from Jamaica, there are great similarities. It’s perfectly safe, but obviously there are some areas you wouldn’t go.

“Politically the country has evolved, but you can’t expect overnight change. There is still poverty and crime. They still have their problems. Things aren’t suddenly going to get better. But I don’t see there’s a problem for England fans travelling to the World Cup.”

Barnes, a veteran of 79 England caps and over 300 games for Liverpool, will be there for the duration. He’ll be commentating for Supersport, South Africa’s answer to Sky Sports, with famous old faces like Southampton’s Terry Paine and former Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey.

He grins: “I’m not going to make many matches – I’ll be in the studio most of the time. But I am convinced Africa’s first World Cup will be a success.

“Look, it might not be as efficient as Japan or as organised as Germany. But it will be a resounding success. I would argue it will be the most colourful World Cup ever. Full of passion and excitement.” He grins: “I’m not going to make many matches – I’ll be in the studio most of the time. But I am convinced Africa’s first World Cup will be a success.

“Look, it might not be as efficient as Japan or as organised as Germany. But it will be a resounding success. I would argue it will be the most colourful World Cup ever. Full of passion and excitement.”

And England’s chances? “As good as they’ve been at the last two World Cups. We’re in the top six in the world, so we should be expected to get to the latter stages. And we will, we are well-organised under Fabio Capello.

“But we have to be realistic. Spain and Brazil can beat us, probably will beat us. But if we play consistently well, we might catch them on a bad day.

“To EXPECT us to win the World Cup is unrealistic, but we CAN win it."

On the great Lionel Messi v Wayne Rooney debate, Barnes argues: "At the moment, Messi’s the most exciting player in the world, two months ago it was Rooney. Who will it be in May?

"The difference between the countries is we focus too much on individuals. Argentina recognise Messi is very important, just as Fernando Torres is for Spain or Kaka for Brazil. But they have other players too.

"In England, we place far too much importance on individuals - so it's all doom and gloom if we have an injury to Rooney. The good thing about England is we have alternatives.

"Look at Bobby Zamora for instance. He's playing so well, but he has to get in ahead of Peter Crouch, Carlton Cole, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey... and Darren Bent's scoring for Sunderland. You can't take them all.

"It's the same out wide. You've got so many players you have to force your way in. We’ve got a lot of options."

So England CAN win it. But who will win it Barnesie? One word. "Brazil."

Bayern Munich 2 Manchester United 1, but limping Rooney is what matters

THE worst possible scenario. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney has suffered a World Cup threatening injury. No, not a metatarsal. It looks like his right ankle.

He went over on it after an innocuous episode right at the end of the Premier League’s champions embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Bayern Munich tonight. Innocuous? Bayern were actually scoring the winner went he went off in agony.

Ironic really. Sir Alex Ferguson pulled him out of Sunday’s 4-0 win at Bolton Wanderers over a “bruised foot”. That came after an “inflamed knee tendon” kept him out of the starting line-up for the Carling Cup final.

Jamie Redknapp, analysing for Sky Sports, made the point: “It’s been a nightmare for Manchester United”. I’m not sure that’s true. Sure, they were outplayed. But Rooney scored after 70 seconds, crashing home his 34^th goal of the season.

But after that, Bayern dominated. Franck Ribery took England candidate Gary Neville, 35, apart down the right of United’s creaking system.

They levelled, then went ahead as the second half looked increasingly Germanic. Sir Alex Ferguson said: “We kept giving the ball away to be honest. We caused our own defeat to be honest.

“That was our downfall. The last goal? How can you describe it?

“Wayne Rooney? I’m not sure. He’s being treated at the moment. We’ll see what happens.

“At Old Trafford it will be a different game obviously. We won’t be giving the ball away like we did tonight. We’ve got the away goal, that will matter.”

In case you're interested, the first-ever all-French Champions League quarter-final between Lyon and Bordeaux ended 3-1. Next to Rooney's as-yet-unconfirmed injury, who gives a damn?

Wayne's World: bald patches, nappies and high hopes of knocking out Cristiano Ronaldo

IN 1998, when Michael Owen was tearing Argentina apart before David Beckham got sent off in that notorious World Cup quarter-final, Wayne Rooney was watching on the sofa at his nan’s on Merseyside.
Twelve years later, Owen and Beckham are fading fast and it’s Wayne’s World – with only 90 days of normality left before the big kick off in South Africa on June 11.
As he toured the nation with the trophy England haven’t won since 1966, Rooney opened up a bit after his four-goal blitz put Milan out of the Champions League (below) – and placed him firmly above the rest as the world’s best striker.
Speaking at Earl’s Court in London after a gig for World Cup fans by The Enemy, Rooney said: "I remember watching Michael score that goal. I was watching with my family round at my nan's, only a young boy at the time. It's a dream to play for your country in anything - to do so in the World Cup is unbelievable.
“You try not to think too much about the World Cup but it’s always in the back of your mind. It’s a bit weird it’s so close now.
“We will be going to South Africa well prepared. Hopefully we'll have a great tournament and have this (he said, patting the World Cup) back here come the end of July.”
As for the debate over the world’s best player, Rooney said: “It’s nice to hear these things, but you don’t read too much into it. I’d go for Cristiano Ronaldo. He's a great player - but it would be nice to knock them out."
As for his recent run of headed goals – seven of his last eight have come from the forehead – Rooney said: "I've worked a lot on my heading. It's going well - perhaps it's coming off my bald patch!"
But more important things have happened off the pitch for the former Everton striker. Like the birth of his son Kai. Still just 24, he grinned: "I've enjoyed being a dad. You could say it’s changed me. It's different and hard work but a great feeling.
"I've changed a lot in the last couple of years anyway, and becoming a father means you have to be a role model for your son and be someone he can look up to.
"Changing nappies is probably the hardest thing so far - and I hear it gets harder as well.
"He's been to a few matches, even though he probably doesn't know what's happening yet."

It's the Little and Large show for England as African champions Egypt are wellied at Wembley

IN the end England relied on Little and Large to ease them out of an embarrassing situation against Egypt at Wembley tonight.

Peter Crouch, Tottenham's 6ft 7in streak of ligament, and Shaun Wright-Phillips, Manchester City's 5ft 5in mini-me, got the goals that took Fabio Capello's men from 1-0 down to 3-1 up in 45 glorious second half minutes.

Remember, Egypt are the three-time African champions. Only a last-gasp play-off against Algeria forced them out of the World Cup in South Africa this summer, it would have been their first since they scared the life out of England, Holland and the Republic of Ireland at Italia 90.

While the tabloids prepared their "England in a Pharoah crisis" headlines after 45 minutes, Capello worked his magic, bring on Crough for Jermain Defoe and Wright-Phillips for Theo Walcott. Lovely line Chriss Waddle, who said: "I've studied Walcott on the wing. And I've decided he just doesn't understand football. He makes the wrong runs at the wrong time."

Most Arsenal fans would agree. The boy's got pace, but little else. Oh, and Capello also brought on the under-rated Manchester United playmaker Michael Carrick for Chelsea's over-hyped Frank Lampard and Aston Villa's James Milner for Liverpool's Stevie Gerrard, who rarely impresses for England. Those might have been the best moves of all.

So, after Matthew Upston's slip gifted Mohammed Zidan an opening goal - leading to calls for the Premier League to sign the 28-year-old, currently at Borussia Dortmund - there was a touch of unrest at Wembley.

Capello had his half-time chat, made a few changes, and presto! England came roaring back. What a night. Crouchie took his tally to 20 in 37 for England - if only he could do that in the Premiership - with a superb double. Ironically, Defoe, who scores so frequently for Spurs, failed where his club-mate thrived.

Wright-Phillips scored the second after a Milner volley, made the third for Crouch. Their celebration saw a high five for Wright-Phillips. A low-five for Crouch. Great stuff.

Capello, with a little help from the interpreter, said: "The second half we won the ball back quickly. I think I'm happy. We have to choose a lot of players, it's good. Crouch is an option, he play very well. It's very important because the second half he made the different.

"Always when you go forward, you take the ball, and the whole team goes forward."

Not entirely sure what all that means, but somewhere between the lines I guess you can predict Crouchie - and Shaun Wright-Phillips - will be part of the 23-man squad that travels to Rustenburg on June 1.

Interesting to see David Beckham warming up but not getting on. Loved James Milner. Came on and produced a lovely volley that led to the Wright-Phillips goal.

Wes Brown at right back? No. Forget Gary Neville and Glen Johnson. Try James Milner. Upson erred for the first goal but John Terry, booed a little at the outset, seemed to forge are reasonable partnership with him.

West Ham's Rob Green continues to hold off Portsmouth's David James and Birmingham's on-loan Joe Hart in goal.

It's all settling down. England are up to eight in the FIFA world rankings. I still say England should be backed for global supremacy at Soccer City on July 11. Forget the Terry/Cole disruptions. We have the depth, Capello has the knowledge. Egypt are in denial.

Wayne's World: from teen tempest to a man united... and the Egyptians quake

IT seems like just yesterday we were worried about Wayne Rooney's knee.

Today he's unstoppable, the World Cup is ours, Egypt will be flattened on Wednesday, pyramids and all.

Yes, a day can be a long time in football, especially when the England squad are gathered at The Grove with the nation's media in attendance before Wednesday's friendly against Egypt at Wembley (where the surface, according to James Milner, is as bad as World Cup venue Nelspruit, but that's another story).

Yesterday, after Sir Alex Ferguson had warned of a possible knee problem, the Wonder that is Wayne emerged to say all the right things, calming the nation from Defcon 1 to a state of calm serenity.

And as I said here three weeks ago when John Terry was stripped of the captaincy, Rooney emerged before the microphones looking every inch like the man who will lift the World Cup at Soccer City on July 11.

Well, we can dream can't we?

The Wisdom of Wayne knows no bounds. The wild Evertonian has become a man united.

Thus spake Rooney, the 24-year-old who looks like he always has but appears to have matured in every other way: "I feel good. I feel every game I'm going to score. I do feel unstoppable."

Which is exactly what all those nice foreign coaches were saying about him in Sun City last week. Good to hear our spearhead is sharp and confident.

He was even able to explain why, after his headed winner in the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa on Sunday, he has changed his method of scoring. From four headers in 345 games to eight in nine. Echoing my point yesterday about Valencia versus Cristiano Ronaldo, he said: "This year, with Antonio Valencia, the delivery has been better than previous years. But I've been working on my heading. My movement and timing has got better. It has all come together and that is probably why I am scoring more with my head.”

Ah but we've seen this before. A player in top form then suddenly, under the blazing Sun, people like Ashley Cole, John Terry and Wayne Bridge (not to mention their partners) begin to wilt.

No problem there either. After begging the Wembley fans not to boo former captain Terry, he says: “I don’t feel any pressure. I have had to deal with pressure since I was 16. You get used to it. I deal with it in a way I feel comfortable.

“What I will do is try and play my best, give my all. I am ready for the World Cup. I am in the best form of my life. I am ready

"It is difficult as a footballer because you know people look up to you.

"You are role models, whether you like it or not, and you need to try and be aware of that and try to do your best on the pitch and try and do things well for kids to see.

"When I first joined Manchester United I would go out to nightclubs, but it is very rare that I would go out to a nightclub now. It changes with age. I made that decision myself. I got into a few things that I shouldn’t have when I was younger and I tried to change that.

"I am settled at home now. It’s good. I am enjoying my life with my family. I spend a lot of time at home with them and that has obviously benefited me. When you are home you get your rest and it is definitely helping."

And yes, I agree. It all sounds too good to be true. But let's not worry about that. Roll on Egypt. Tutankahmun, Cleopatra, Sphinx, Anwar Sadat, your boys are in for one hell of a beating.

The nation awaits news from the battle of Rooney's knee... or is it just a tummy bug?

GARY NEVILLE spoke for the whole nation this morning. And that alone is seriously worrying when you think about it. Still, these are desperate times. England as a footballing nation is now on red alert, defcon 1, teetering on the edge of panic.

Wayne Rooney has a knee injury. He may miss England's friendly against Egypt at Wembley on Wednesday. Uh-oh.

These are veteran Manchester United full-back Neville's momentous words this morning: "England cannot afford to lose him."

He's right. Of course he's right. The end of the World Cup is nigh. Doom, doom and thrice doom. We can do without Wayne Bridge or John Terry. But imagine going to South Africa in June with Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey up front. Or Jermain Defoe and Bobby Zamora. Unthinkable.

Even before the two goals at Milan in the Champions League and the winner against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final at Wembley yesterday, I was saying this to anyone who would listen on Sky News, talkSPORT, BBC Radio5, on South Africa's 702... and here it is again on my birthday blog.

If Rooney misses the World Cup, all hope is gone. Neville, a veteran of "We-can end 44 years of hurt" syndrome, saw his team-mate produce another nifty header yesterday.

The stats on Rooney's rather large forehead are bizarre. Four headers in his first 345 games. Then, in his last nine, eight headed goals. All of them vital, clinical. And 28 in all this season for a man in the form of his life (we'll go into the debate about how Antonio Valencia provides more dangerous crosses than Cristiano Ronaldo ever did at a later date).

Then Sir Alex Ferguson dropped the bombshell after his umpteenth trophy success yesterday: "Wayne got a whack. He has been complaining about that knee for a few weeks and I thought we might have to take him off.

"The doctors are assessing it. I don't know what England are going to do."

Well if he doesn't know, how does Fabio Capello get to grips with a side without their talismanic striker?

Neville, who played for so long behind a certain David Beckham on the right, added: "Wayne is a great player to play with. He has been brilliant for England too. The only thing he has to do for England now is go and win something. That is what England players have been striving to do for the past 40 years. That would really crown it off for him."

The nation trembles, though Rooney himself said from the England training base at The Grove this morning: "Yes it's okay, I went for a scan today and it's just a bit of bruising. So I'm having a bit of a rest day today, I should train tomorrow and should play on Wednesday."

Neville, perhaps more concerned about United's immediate fortunes, added. "We have two months of important matches now and we need him fit for them. It is there for everyone to see. He is going through a peak moment in his career. He is maturing now."

Still, perhaps we are worrying too much. Before yesterday's final Rooney - who came on for Michael Owen, scorer of United's opener in a 2-1 win - said he was starting on the bench because "I had a little bit of a stomach bug and the manager was looking for an excuse to leave me out".

Surely the same thing wouldn't happen before an England game, a vital friendly against the three-time African champions in the build-up to the World Cup?

Who would suggest such a thing of Sir Alex? Not I. That's for sure.

It was never about Beckham. For the next six months, it will be all about Rooney

IN THE end, it wasn't about 34-year-old David Beckham, it was about 24-year-old Wayne Rooney. And it will be all about Rooney for the next six months.

Manchester United's 3-2 win over AC Milan at the San Siro last night left Sir Alex Ferguson drooling and the rest of the world trembling.

Three hours before Beckham's Champions League clash against his old side, I said on Twitter: 'All set for the Becks and Fergie show. My money's on Man United. And Rooney to win the day.'

Rooney's two second-half headers - unlike some England players, he's starting to use his head to some effect - were his 24th and 25th goals in a best-ever season.

He is, by five goals, the best striker in Europe right now - his 21 Premier League goals have him five ahead of next-best Lionel Messi at Barcelona.

He has stepped up following the record-breaking transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo and he is ready to spearhead England's World Cup campaign in South Africa this summer. No question.

It's not as if Beckham was that bad. He should be on the flight to Rustenburg on June 1 too. And his Milan side, as he mentioned afterwards, are not out of it after a five-goal extravaganza at the San Siro. The second-leg at Old Trafford on 10 March promises to be quite a night.

Fergie drooled: "Wayne's in devastating form, they could not handle him in the second half. He was marvellous. He has to be regarded at the highest level, along with all the other players we know about."

That's the Scotsman's way of saying: "YES, BLOODY HELL, HE'S THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW."

And he's not far off - though Ronaldinho looked a bit special last night too.

Ferguson points out why Rooney is more important though: "He should score 30 goals this season, over the last two months, there has been a marked improvement in his game. Confidence has a lot to do with it of course. I just felt he had to improve his goalscoring, which is what he is doing now."

Beckham, hauled off after 72 industrious minutes which provided a few scares for his old boss, said: "I've always said Wayne is one of the best goalscorers in the world and he is obviously on fire again. If you give him chances he'll score goals, that's the way he is and the way his mind works."

Ronaldinho put Milan ahead, Paul Scholes scuffed an equaliser, then Rooney struck twice to give United a 3-1 edge which was drmatically cut back five minutes from the end by a lovely back-heeled Clarence Seedorf effort fromm close range.

Beckham concluded: "Clarence's second goal has made a comeback possible. It's not easy to go to Old Trafford and win 2-0 but we have made it a bit better for ourselves."

Back in the Premier League, former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira got himself into trouble during Manchester City's 1-1 draw with Stoke City - Sky Sports News keep showing pictures of him shoving a boot into some poor Stoke lad's privates - and tonight his old side Arsenal take on Porto with five players injured. Apparently the Portuguese have injury problems too.

I suspect it won't be quite as good as last night's European extravaganza.

Terry sacked as England captain, it's official. Capello: "I would like to thank the FA for letting me take this decision"

JOHN TERRY was sacked as England captain this afternoon at Wembley after a 12-minute meeting with coach Fabio Capello.

In a statement, Capello said: "After much thought I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry.

"As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour.

"However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad.

"What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice and John Terry was notified first."

Capello went on to say thanks to the FA for "allowing me to make the decision".

This blog suggested Terry was going at noon after receiving an email detailing further allegations to come against the £150,000-a-week Chelsea defender.

Rio Ferdinand - Capello's vice-captain - will be captain for the friendly against Egypt at Wembley on March 3.

Terry's demise was announced at around 3.30pm. I was on Sky News with, amongst others, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, PFA chief Gordon Taylor and the News of the World's Neil Ashton for about half-an-hour by phone discussing the decision.

Ashton, once a Sunday League team-mate of mine with the Warriors in Amersham, said the Terry family will not want to buy the News of the World on Sunday but Perroncel, according to Max Clifford, has now decided not to sell her exclusive story to the papers.

In a nicely worded statement she said her main concern was her three-year-old fathered by Wayne Bridge. Bit late in the day for sentiments like that, I would argue.

When the story of Terry's affair with Perroncel broke on Saturday after his super-injunction was over-turned, there was a groundswell of opinion against the immoral Chelsea leader.

But as the days passed, Ms Perroncel lost some of her allure as she joined forces with arch-publicist Clifford and hawked her story around for £250,000.

The mood changed. Why ruin England's World Cup preparations by getting rid of the captain when the woman involved apparently slept with FIVE Chelsea players (according to The Sun) and has been dabbling with celebrities like the dark-haired bloke out of Steps since her teens?

Suddenly the underwear model was the bad lass, despite a tearful reunion with Wayne Bridge, father of her child and Terry's former Chelsea team-mate. We were ready to write off Terry's affair - which allegedly featured an abortion and a £20,000 payment - as just another footballer going astray with a temptress.

Even his wife Toni, who fled to Dubai with the Terry twins after the story broke, publicly said she would forgive him when he flies over for Valentine's Day, missing Chelsea's FA Cup clash with Cardiff on February 13.

But today the mood changed. And there are several reasons for it, not all of them publishable at this point.

Word reaches me that Terry may indeed have slept with another team-mate's wife at Chelsea. The woman is a model and a mother. Hilarious. Not.

On top of that, Perroncel has apparently slept with "another household name" at Chelsea. The Mirror made that allegation on Wednesday. I have the name. Actually two. One of them is really going to shake things up.

On top of that, also in the top-secret email naming these names, came the allegations over Terry's use of a box at Wembley. Certain claims were made. Now, 24 hours later, if you read this morning's Daily Mail back page, you'll see further details of that. Terry's minders are offering to hire the box out to a third party for around for £4,000, which is "strictly prohibited".

The Daily Mail suggests this is "so much more serious" than his personal problems. I'm not sure I agree with that. The email I've seen also suggests further revelations with more women, coming on top of the eight already listed in most papers so far. I was going to keep the email to myself until the box story emerged this morning. But it looks all too accurate.

Poor old Terry. He must have thought he was slipping out of the noose when Stuart Pearce, Capello's closest English ally and the England Under 21 manager, came out on Tuesday saying Terry should keep the captain's armband (available for £4 at the Wembley shop).

But with further revelations now a promise rather than a threat, Capello - a devout Catholic and a disciplinarian nicknamed "Generalissimo" in Italy - decided to act before Sunday's exclusive hits the streets.

And the new captain? Rio Ferdinand. The Manchester United centre-back has been injured for weeks. And he was banned one game into his comeback.

What worries me now Terry is gone is that his successor will get it in the neck from the tabloids, who will remember his lengthy ban for missing a drugs test three years ago. And ultimately it won't just be Terry and Bridge who suffer. It will be England's long-cherished World Cup dream in South Africa.

Terry was the best man for the job. The only one capable of playing under such intense pressure, as he will have to do again when Chelsea play Arsenal on Sunday. Watch this space.