DeMerit wary of Rooney threat

USA defender hoping to shut out in-form striker

Last updated: 7th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

DeMerit wary of Rooney threat

DeMerit: Wary of Rooney

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

USA defender Jay DeMerit has admitted it will be difficult to contain Wayne Rooney at the World Cup.

Rooney has been in scintillating form for Manchester United this season and will be determined to make an impact for his country in South Africa this summer.

England's first Group C opponents are USA and DeMerit recognises that Rooney will present the main danger.

He is not aware of any specific plans to counter the striker but hopes USA will be able to shut him out and make a winning start to their campaign.

"I'm not sure how you can really deal with Rooney, but we're going to have to if we're going to have any chance against England," DeMerit said in the Sunday Mirror.

Phenomenal

"With players like Rooney, the only thing you can do is just try to make it as difficult for them as possible.

"He has been phenomenal in the past few weeks and is getting better and better. He is really starting to come into his own.

"He has that confidence of being one of the world's best players and he is England's main threat."

DeMerit, who plies his trade for Watford in the Championship, is relishing the chance to pit himself against a player of Rooney's class.

He added. "I cannot wait to play against Wayne, but I'm really hoping that he has a huge dip in the summer and uses up all his goals before he plays us."