Rooney to travel to Switzerland

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The Football Association have confirmed that Wayne Rooney will travel to Switzerland today ahead of England's Euro 2012 qualifier in Basle.

The 24-year-old has been the subject of intense scrutiny in his private life over the past 24 hours and there had been some speculation that the Manchester United forward might remain at home.

Coach Fabio Capello is yet to confirm whether he intends to select Rooney for what has been billed as England's most difficult qualifying game.

However, he will definitely have the option as Rooney prepared to board the short flight to Switzerland this morning ahead of a training session at St Jakob Park later this afternoon.

It is hard to imagine having got Rooney in his travelling squad that Capello will not pick him.

The England coach will need to make sure his star man is in the right frame of mind though as his side look to build on Friday's 4-0 triumph over Bulgaria.

In total, Capello has 22 men available. He decided not to call in a replacement for ankle injury victim Michael Dawson as in Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill, Matthew Upson and Joleon Lescott he already has four centre-halves.

In addition, Watford's Scott Loach will make the journey as third-choice goalkeeper as Scott Carson has withdrawn due to a family bereavement.

Meanwhile, Switzerland's London-born defender Scott Sutter this morning admitted he had been following the Rooney reports.

The Young Boys player, who made his international debut against Australia on Friday, thinks Switzerland might be able to profit from the distraction.

"Wayne Rooney is an amazing player," he said.

"When he's on his game, it is hard for anyone to stop him.

"But with these things going on in his private life, it depends how mentally strong he is and whether he can put it to the back of his mind and play like the way we know he can.

"I read all the papers online so I have been following what is going on.

"Obviously, it is a distraction and maybe he will not be as totally focussed on the game.

"We have to hope Wayne Rooney doesn't play as well as he can.

"But whether something like that will affect him, I don't know, we will see."