England World Cup outsiders without Rooney: Robson 30/04/2006 - 10:34:54 Bobby Robson believes England have gone from ?possible World Cup winners to outsiders? following Wayne Rooney?s broken foot. The Manchester United striker broke the fourth metatarsal in his right foot in yesterday?s 3-0 defeat by Chelsea and could miss the entire tournament. ?The news about Wayne is depressingly sad,? former England boss Robson told BBC Radio Five Live?s Sportsweek programme. ?Without him we?ve gone from possible World Cup winners to outsiders. You cannot replace Rooney. I don?t think there?s another player like him in the country or in Europe. ?He?s a very special player and without him our chances are dim. Undoubtedly England are outsiders without him. ?People who win World Cups are top individuals. Who won the World Cup for Argentina in 1986? I?ll tell you ? it was Diego Maradona.? Initial estimates are that Rooney will be out for six weeks, meaning he could yet figure in the knockout stages with the World Cup due to start in 40 days. But he was out for 14 weeks after sustaining a similar injury during England?s Euro 2004 campaign and Robson has called for clarification on when the 20-year-old will return. The former Newcastle boss and current Republic of Ireland management advisor insists that Rooney must be taken to Germany if there is a chance he will figure beyond the group stages. ?We need top medical advice. We need a decision on how long it will take for him to recover,? he said. ?If it?s two weeks does that mean he can play within six weeks, or does it mean six weeks recuperation time and then he can start training? ?If it?s six weeks out then he can?t make it. But if he?s playing within six weeks then you take him. We have enough quality to beat the teams we will face in the group matches without him. ?What you need is your top players for the quarters, semis and final. That?s when Rooney becomes crucial. If you can get him back for the quarter-finals then you take a chance and take him. ?You take five strikers anyway and one could be a lame duck right until the end.?