Rocket Rooney on a mission

"I like Scolari very much. He's a nice human being and a very good coach." The 4-2 win over Croatia now means, of course, that the Eriksson-Scolari sub-plot will help fuel the build-up to what many locals are already claiming will be one of the great game's of the tournament.

Eriksson is familiar with Portuguese football having won the national title three times with Benfica. "I've always said that Portugal's football compares with Brazil in terms of technique," he insisted. "They have fantastic players with the ball... Figo, Deco, Ronaldo, Maniche, Rui Costa.

"I think they are the most technically accomplished team in the tournament. They use perhaps just one player at the front supported by two wingers but they try to retain possession of the ball."

This, of course, is one of the weaknesses that led to England's downfall against Brazil in 2002. "We couldn't keep possession," recalled the England coach. The recent arrival of Rooney has helped England in this respect. He's not a natural strike partner for Michael Owen, so Eriksson prefers to play him in a deep position where he acts as a link player.

His control and vision is good enough to influence the build-up play and his strength and pace is such that he can run with the ball too. "He not only scores goals but does many other things too," said Eriksson.

"From England's point of view his emergence as a player of international class couldn't be better timed. It's normal that the team winning the big tournaments usually has the best goalscorer. Not always, but normally."

Rooney's four goals in three matches makes him the top marksman here and prompted Eriksson to ask if another youngster had ever had such an impact on a major tournament. He guessed at Pele, a precocious 17-year-old in the 1958 World Cup in Eriksson's native Sweden. "I was 10 but I still remember his goals in the final," he recalled.

These are heady days for the young Everton striker whose value seems to leapfrog by the match . . . £ 30million, £40m, £50m. Every goal adds to his potential transfer fee and one day someone, probably Chelsea, will make him the world's most expensive footballer.

Meantime, Eriksson has to keep young Wayne's feet firmly on the ground. Family visits to the squad's luxury headquarters here help. Loved ones arrived after the match last night.

"We've been together as a squad for a month and I think it's good for the players to have a taste of normal life," said Eriksson. "It's good for them to talk about something other than football."

The next 48 hours will be devoted to rest and treatment though Eriksson will try to work at some stage on penalties in case they're needed and defending against set-pieces.

This used to be an England strength but last night both Croatian goals came from set-pieces - - Niko Kovacs scoring the first after five minutes and Igor Tudor the second in the 73rd minute.

It's unlike England to be careless when defending against dead ball kicks but, at the moment, it's threatening to undermine all the good work in attack.

Of course, with Rooney's rich vein of form you could argue that England will always outscore the opposition, but it's an unnecessary risk.

It's a fact, though, that in three games here England have now scored eight goals. Although Michael Owen surprisingly hasn't contributed, Paul Scholes ended a threeyear goal drought when he equalised Kovac's goal in the 40th minute.

Rooney then struck twice with chilling precision. "I don't need to tell him how to score goals," smiled Eriksson. "I think it's better that we let him do what he wants."

Frank Lampard added England's fourth, a deserved reward for a purposeful performance in midfield. Steven Gerrard, too, played with growing assurance. Owen may not have scored but he contributed significantly to England's creative build-up and Rooney's second goal in particular.

The fans also played a part - not a single arrest among the 100,000 England followers who have watched the three matches - though as host nation the Portuguese will dominate the stadium on Thursday.

It's beginning to look encouraging for England, but we thought that in Shizuoka two years ago when the master tactician from Brazil turned up.