Grip is worried about injuries to strike pair Rooney and Owen

Rooney faces a race against time to be fit after breaking his foot and fellow striker Michael Owen's fitness is still in question after a similar problem.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's right-hand man told The Sun: "I saw Wayne lying there and thought 'oh no, here we go again, another injury before the World Cup'.

"It happened before with David Beckham and now it's happening again."

Grip added: "It happens every tournament and it has happened to Rooney before. We have tried everything possible to avoid injuries.

"This time we have even made sure the structure of the season gave us extra time to prepare the team before the big tournament. Then this happens.

"We try and try and then we get another injury. On top of that, we hear Michael Owen is not right and we might be without both our strikers for the World Cup."

I'm not saying we can't win the World Cup now, it is just going to be more difficult Tord Grip

Rooney fractured a metatarsal in his right foot against Chelsea on Saturday and he also broke a different bone in the same foot at Euro 2004.

Prior to the last World Cup in the Far East in 2002, England boss Eriksson lost Gary Neville and Danny Murphy - both to fractured metatarsals.

Steven Gerrard was ruled out with a groin problem, while captain David Beckham played in the tournament but appeared to be unfit after returning from a similar injury to Rooney's.

Grip conceded: "To win the World Cup we need all our best players out there on the pitch.

"I try to be as optimistic as possible. I'm not saying we can't win the World Cup now, it is just going to be more difficult.

"Rooney's injury is a big blow but we can't give up. We still have good players. We can still have a good tournament.

"Rooney may be out for five or six weeks - that might mean he only misses the first match.

"Sven and I will see what the doctor says and we will make a plan."