Wayne Rooney Rooney to give his all for England

Posted Wednesday, May 26, 2010 by theguardian.com

• England striker will not hold back in World Cup to protect body
• Wayne Rooney picked up stiff neck in Mexico win

Wayne Rooney has no intention of holding back at the World Cup, despite his run of injuries.

Rooney injured his neck during the latter stages of England's friendly win over Mexico at Wembley, sparking yet more concerns about his wellbeing.

It is only a month ago that Rooney was struck down by ankle and groin injuries which damaged Manchester United's attempts to win the Premier League and Champions League.

Fabio Capello moved quickly to allay fears about the 24-year-old's latest knock, and Rooney clearly has no intention of wrapping himself in cotton wool to avoid further fitness concerns.

"You have to go into each game and play like you normally do," he said. "If things happen then hard luck. We'll just have to get on with it.

"It's not pressure. I just try to give my all every time I play. I actually feel quite good. I have a bit of a stiff neck but that will be gone in a couple of days."

Rooney has scored only once in his last seven games, having previously managed 10 goals in a similar span before the injuries struck.

Sunday's final friendly against Japan in Graz offers another opportunity for the striker to end that run, and extend his lead over Peter Crouch in the international scoring stakes. The Tottenham man scored his 21st international goal on Monday night, bundling the ball over the line with his arm from an offside position after Rooney's header was tipped on to the bar. Rooney has only four more England goals than Crouch.