Gary Neville says Wayne Rooney will have no negative effect on England
Gary Neville insists uncertainty over Wayne Rooney's future will have no negative effect on England.
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo
Last Updated: 10/08/13 1:03pm
Rooney is set to link up with the England squad this weekend for next week's friendly with Scotland with major doubts lingering over his long-term future at Manchester United.
Rooney, who has been the subject of two bids from Chelsea, has been training away from the first-team squad at Old Trafford as he works on his fitness.
United are battling to keep hold of the unsettled striker, and former United team-mate and current England coach Neville has rubbished talk that Rooney's club future could disrupt the Three Lions squad this week.
"It will have no effect whatsoever on the England squad," Neville told Sky Sports News. "I played with Wayne Rooney for many years, I've obviously been a coach with England for the last year-and-a-half I've never seen him give anything but 100 per cent in every single training session.
"It's an insult to suggest he would have any negative effect on the England squad.
"It would never happen, he is not that type of lad, he is a good lad, a great player, a fantastically important player not just for Manchester United but for England and, like I say, we will just concentrate on doing what we do, which is obviously looking after all the players and Wayne Rooney will come along and do his very best as he always does."
Neville is confident that Rooney will soon be back to full fitness after seeing his pre-preparations affected by a hamstring injury.
"Obviously he has had some disruption in pre-season which will be his biggest concern in this moment in time.
"I think he had a problem with his hamstring and other little things, but he seems to be back on the training pitch
"It won't take him long he is somebody who does work hard and gets his fitness back quickly."
