Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed that he clashed with then-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson over selecting Wayne Rooney for the 2006 World Cup.
The striker, who suffered a metatarsal injury in his right foot before the tournament, was part of the Three Lions side that reached the last eight in Germany, although he failed to score in four appearances and was sent off in the quarter-final defeat to Portugal.
Eriksson has said that he had no choice but to include Rooney in the squad, despite Ferguson telling him not to.
"It became a fight between Ferguson and myself," the Swede told BBC Sport.
"He just said 'don't dare take him to the World Cup, that's it Sven, you don't take him'. But there would have been a revolution in England if I didn't pick him. They would have thrown me into the sea."
Eriksson stepped down as England boss after the tournament.
Written by
Steven Toplis
Steven Toplis
