Rooney Out Of Season Opener
(Soccer365.com) Manchester United will have to start the season without star striker Wayne Rooney after he picked up a virus during the team's pre-season tour to Africa.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports: "I doubt we'll get Rooney fit for the start of the season with the virus he's had.
"It's a virus he picked up in Nigeria and it's not a nice one, but quite a few have had it.
"It's such a bad virus and he's got to be training to be fit."
The news comes as a big blow to the Red Devils, who are already without Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger is recovering from ankle surgery and may only be back at the end of August, assuming he doesn't move to Real Madrid.
Ferguson admitted he had a problem for the Charity Shield match against Portsmouth on 10 August, saying: "I don't know whether we will have a team ready. Nani is suspended, Anderson is in the Olympic Games.
"(Michael) Carrick's come in this morning and he may play a part of the game on Sunday.
"They've said it's a bad virus and Wayne's not back in yet, he's not been training. It's been a long time."
United's first Premier League match is on 17 August against Newcastle, and Ferguson may be forced to call on Louis Saha or Frazier Campbell to partner Carlos Tevez up front.
