July 03, 2006	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 6, 1427

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BADEN BADEN, July 2: England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson urged media and fans not to launch a hate campaign against Wayne Rooney after the youngster's World Cup sending-off.

Rooney was shown the red card against Portugal in Saturday's epic quarter-final as England went on to lose in a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out.

The flashpoint immediately brought comparisons to the dismissal of David Beckham at the 1998 World Cup, which was followed by a year of vicious abuse on his return to England.

But Eriksson begged England's press and fans not to whip up a similar feeding frenzy over 20-year-old Rooney, who was given his marching orders after stamping on Ricardo Carvalho in the 62nd minute.

“I think that you, much more than me, need Wayne Rooney,” said Eriksson.

“He is the golden boy of English football, so don't kill him.

“If he did it with intention or not, leave it — you need him for the qualification games and to win Euro 2008. I have no hard feelings.”

Eriksson revealed he had spoken to referee Horacio Elizondo after the game and had 'no complaints' about the decision to send Rooney off.—AFP