Wayne Rooney backs Joe Cole to earn World Cup spot

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The England manager Capello omitted the Chelsea midfielder for tomorrow's friendly against Egypt at Wembley despite starting eight of the Blues' last 13 matches.

The Italian claimed over the weekend that Cole "is not the player I remember" since he returned from a serious knee injury that sidelined him for the first half of 2009, yet Rooney insists the 28-year-old still has time to turn the situation around.

"Joe had a bad injury and he is trying to get back fit and playing all the time," said the Manchester United striker.

"If he does that then I think he has a great chance of getting back into the squad. He has got great skill and can score and create goals so he will be a fantastic player for us to have at a World Cup if he gets selected."

Cole was an integral part of the side, who reached the quarter-finals in 2006 before losing in an agonising penalty shoot-out to Portugal.

He was one of England's most impressive performers and started every match, including a 2-2 draw with Sweden in which he scored one of the goals of the tournament.

Yet he required cruciate knee ligament surgery in January 2009 and only returned to action in September.

Although Cole has failed to impress Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, having completed just one of the last 10 matches, Rooney needs no convincing of his talents.

"Joe was a great player in Germany," said Rooney. "He scored a fantastic goal against Sweden and is someone who has experience at major tournaments which is something you always need. England will benefit if he is there."

Rooney played in his first World Cup four years ago when he was touch and go to make the squad after breaking a metatarsal just two months before the finals.

Still not match-sharp when he arrived in Germany, Rooney was far from his best but he is full of confidence this time round having already scored 28 goals this season.

"I'm ready for it," he said. "It can't be as bad as it was before 2006.

"That was a bit weird, with the team preparing for the tournament and most days the focus was on whether I would be fit. But I'm in the best form of my life. I'm ready."