Eriksson shields Rooney from Blatter rebuke

Sven Goran Eriksson said yesterday that Wayne Rooney was a good role model for young children and defended the Manchester United striker in the face of allegations from the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, that he needed "a clip round the ear" for his attitude towards referees.

Sven Goran Eriksson said yesterday that Wayne Rooney was a good role model for young children and defended the Manchester United striker in the face of allegations from the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, that he needed "a clip round the ear" for his attitude towards referees.

The England coach will not have Rooney as part of his squad for the national team's mini-tour of North America but he said yesterday that the 19-year-old behaved like many other footballers - despite recently being rejected by the English Schools' Football Association as star guest at an Under-13s semi-final.

Asked whether Rooney was a good role model for young children, Eriksson said: "I think so." He added: "His temperament has always been fiery. If you want to find a role model today never saying a bad word to a referee, where would you do that?

"Some swear at the referees more than others, but rugby is to be admired as there is no arguing with the referee. Fifty years ago, that was the case in football."

The England coach added that Rooney had shown by example what could be achieved through hard work. Eriksson said: "His quality - every little boy or even girl, when he scores a goal like that, they know he is 19 and it must be a big dream for them to do that too."

Earlier yesterday, Blatter had called for the Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, and Rooney to rein in their behaviour. Mourinho had come in for criticism following comments about Chelsea's Champions' League tie with Barcelona which were alleged to have contributed to the retirement of the referee Anders Frisk.

"I appeal to Mourinho and Rooney," Blatter said. "As stars at such a high level they have a responsibility to the fans as well as the game. With Rooney it is a question of education. He should receive a clip round the ear from the management.

"Mourinho is quiet on the bench but he should be quieter after the match as well. In football, you learn how to win but you also must learn how to lose."

After naming the uncapped Peter Crouch in his tour squad, Eriksson said that the Southampton striker gave him different options in attack. He said: "Crouch can give you something different. I think if you go to the World Cup you need one tall striker. If you've tried everything else to break them down, then you need to have that option in the last 15 minutes and he can give it to you. He is good in the air, of course, but for a tall player he is good on the ground."