Rooney key for England

Sir Geoff Hurst believes Wayne Rooney is "the one player that England cannot afford to be without" if they are to have a realistic chance of winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ this summer.

England's hat-trick hero of 1966 feels Rooney has been at the peak of his powers this season, but the former West Ham star warned it is of paramount importance to keep the Manchester United star fit for the duration of the tournament.

"Rooney is the one player that England cannot afford to be without," Hurst told Press Association Sport. "Wayne, with the season he has had for Manchester United and England, needs to be playing. That would certainly be the case for the latter part of the tournament. You could get away with it in the early rounds, maybe, but to win it, you need your best players for the latter stages.

"He gives you that x-factor. He is one of the top players in the world now. He is at his peak and that is hard to replace. You can't replace great players playing at their best. It is impossible," he added.

Hurst also backed Rooney to lead the line on his own if necessary. "I think there is a strong case for playing Rooney up front on his own like he does for United," he said. "I am not sure whether he could have done that a couple of years ago but he has proved he can do it and score goals."

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