Soccer:England skipper Steven Gerrard believes players must leave personal issues on the sidelines when they go into battle for their country and he is, therefore, looking for another top performance from Wayne Rooney in the Euro 2012 qualifier with Switzerland.
Rooney has been the intense focus of attention since allegations about events in his private life emerged in a Sunday newspaper. Gerrard had to suffer a similar spell in the spotlight last season before being cleared of a charge of affray in court, but the Liverpool star feels he produced some of his best football during that period and hopes Rooney can repeat the form he showed against Bulgaria on Friday in the Basle tonight.
"You have to get on with things. You're in a situation, if you have an issue off the pitch, where you have to park it," Gerrard said. "Sometimes football can be a release from it. Once the game has started you're focused on what happens on the pitch, not what's going on off it.
"I played some of my best football when I was going through the court case. I'm sure, once the game starts, Wayne will focus on the game.
"That's certainly what happened to me. I felt that way during my 'episode'."
Gerrard is a close friend of Rooney but has not spoken to the Manchester United star about his private life.
"At the end of the day, who am I to talk about things like that with Wayne Rooney? He's his own man," he said. "It's his private life. If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn't expect Wayne to divulge into my private life. I respect that
"Every player is his own man. We've all got private lives. We need to respect that."
Gerrard has plenty of respect for the Swiss who caused a shock when defeating eventual winners Spain during the World Cup.
He said: "They're a top side. Defensively they're very good. We'll be watching more tapes of them before the game.
"I followed them really closely in the World Cup because we were linked with a player called (Gokhan) Inler with the rumours that (Javier) Mascherano was supposed to be leaving Liverpool.
"They'll be difficult to break down. I liked Inler. Thought he was good, but I don't control what players we sign."