since sadly I feel we could only win (and would win) with a fit Rooney, I reckon we might as well take a few chances.
Can't we claim Thierry's British?

Namely ...
Calamity James - too many spills = easy goals conceded.

Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand - awful this season.

Owen Hargreaves - never made an impact for England. Few fans see the point in his inclusion.

David Beckham - still living off a hyped reputation. Hasn't shone for Real Madrid or England over the past year.

Wayne Roony - injured and taking the place of a fitter player. Effectively we'll be a man short.

The key players for England will be Lampard, Cole, Gerrard and Terry.

Gerrard is great; so is Lampard but I reckon he's right to take Rooney; if he can play after the first weeks, we're away!
Owen is vital too.
Jenas is good.
Shame about Ledley King and Wright Philips.

Yes well I think we are a bit short of strikers. Rooney has (lets face it) no chance of been fit, so shouldn't be picked. Owen is injured, he may recover but will never be match fit anyway. Also we have a new guy call Theo Walcott that hasn't played first team football for month. I think that it's between Brazill, France and host nation Germany. England are lets face it a second tier international country.

You're having a laugh...two crippled forwards, one beanpole and a kid not good enough for Arse to take a chance on yet but we can as a National side but leaves Bent out and Defoe on the reserve list along with the Championship's Andy Penalty Johnson ahead of Beattie/Bent or on form even Marlon King!

A half fit Ledley would be better than the out of sorts Campbell who has been bloody awful this season maybe he'll walk out after giving away a couple of pens.
Hargreaves would struggle to get in Sunderland's team although he is very versatile...he's 2nd rate in MANY positions but Kevin Nolan is left out after a great season as is SWP allegedley due to lack of matches, although he's played more than Cole, Walcott & Campbell together. Ashley is no where near match fit, James in goal should have a red nose as part of his kit.

There are too many average/out of form inclusions and too many really good players left out, does David Dein pick the team or does he just control the catering for Spurs!

Ledley King was excellent in Euro 2004, if Terry isn't fully fit, we're going to be stuck. Also Wright-Phillips has been proven at international level and is one of our brightest talents.

Looking forward to the world cup, and not just for England. Will be great to see players like Henry, Ronaldinho, Zidane, and both Ronaldos playing at the highest level.

just pick pick Dean Ashton young, powerful striker or pick Teddy Sheringham before he retires for good.

I think it`s avery unselfish team pick by Sven, as he has thought about a future in which he will not be team manager.
I`m pretty chuffed about whatsisname the teenaager, as he is from only ten miles up the road.

We all know - and so does the rest of the world, that any normal addition of striker instead of Rooney would be far beneath the standard (I believe Wayne is one of the best in the world).
But nobody has a clue whether Theo is good or not - or how he plays.
Very confusing and muddling for the opposition.
I hope Wayne will be better for the late stages but at least this kid may provide a real element of surprise.
By the way, I know NOTHING about soccer.
Baseball? American Football? I'm an expert!

<<< But nobody has a clue whether Theo is good or not - or how he plays. >>>

Including Sven - who admits he has NEVER seen him play !

He's a class act. Much more versatile, much more talented, and with a much better temperament than Wayne Rooney. I was surprised he was chosen when Sven has only seen him a couple of times in training, but I must admit that I'd have picked him above several of the more established players. He's also quite fearless and probably won't be intimidated by the size of the occasion. At his age, fitness shouldn't be a problem. I think he's up for it. I just hope he hasn't been taken to be bench fodder. He needs to play.

Not sure he'll be too much of a mystery to other nations as there was a lot of interest in him from abroad last year, while he was at Southampton.

He can run at speed over 40 - 50 yards, and can shake off more experienced players. However, this is in the established English game. The World Cup will be expose him to different, more clinical, sharp edged football. It'll be a challenge for him, and I hope he can adapt well enough to make an impact.