Is Rooney still world-class talisman?
30 April 2014 5:52 AM IST
Is he the world-class talisman upon whom several England managers - as well as thousands of travelling fans, have invested their hopes of overdue success?
Is he merely a good player whose intermittent brilliance exposes the mediocrity of many his international teammates? Or is he the English enigma, perhaps even underachiever, who has caused so much frustration at major tournaments?
What is clear is, that at the age of 28 and with 89 caps and 38 goals behind him, Rooney owes England a big World Cup in Brazil. The Liverpool-born striker might have won Premier League and Champions League titles since joining Manchester United from Everton in 2004, but his England career has no obvious mark of distinction.
He is even waiting for his first World Cup goal. In Germany in 2006, Rooney had only just overcome a foot injury and was evidently lacking in match fitness when his temper boiled over and he was sent off for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho as England went out on penalties to Portugal in the quarterfinals.
‘Don’t kill him,’ Sven-Goran Eriksson told the media afterwards, as expectation and disappointment collided.
ANOTHER INJURY
In South Africa in 2010, the frustration of life with England, and another pre-tournament injury, again got to the forward. At the end of England’s stultifying 0-0 group-stage draw with Algeria, Rooney said into a TV camera as he walked off: ‘Nice to see your own fans booing you.’ He later apologised for ‘any offence caused’.
Rooney couldn’t take part in England’s first two matches at Euro 2012 because he was suspended after being red carded during the final qualifier against Montenegro. He returned to score the winner against Ukraine but could not lift his team mates in the quarterfinal with Italy which ended with another penalty shootout defeat. ‘Rooney only plays well in Manchester,’was former England coach Fabio Capello’s damning assessment.
Even the one tournament that Rooney has graced - the 2004 European Championship - has become strangely tainted over the years by the subsequent feeling of unfulfilled potential. So after he has covered his pale-white face in factor-50, which Rooney will turn up beneath the Brazilian winter sun in June? Sadly, for England supporters, it is impossible to predict with any degree of confidence.
This time last year, Rooney was about to embark on a summer of uncertainty as his Old Trafford future lay in the balance. Most observers suspected that Rooney, whose relationship with Alex Ferguson was said to be beyond repair, would seek a new challenge at Chelsea.
However, Ferguson’s short-lived successor, David Moyes, stood firm and Rooney stayed, even signing a new contract worth a reported 300,000 pounds a week in February. His commitment can never be doubted, however and there have been suggestions that England coach Roy Hodgson could ask Rooney to become captain if Steven Gerrard retires after Brazil, a recognition of his maturity and inspirational never-say-die attitude, yet dark clouds have been gathering, too.
Hodgson knows Eng WC squad
LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson already knows who he wants to take to the World Cup in Brazil and will not be influenced by a player’s club form towards the end of the Premier League season, he said on Tuesday. In an interview with FIFA website (www.fifa.com) Hodgson said he had a clear plan ahead of announcing his 23-man squad on May 13, and that his choices will be based on form from the last few months, or even years. ‘Nothing that happens in the last four games, in terms of form, is going to affect me. I don’t judge players on their last-minute form over two or three games. I’m judging them over two years. Or, in particular, if anyone new on the scene has emerged I’m judging him over several months. I’m not going to make decisions in the last week or two of the season, which is a notoriously bad time to judge talent. I’ve had a very clear idea of what I want to do with this squad for a long, long time. Certainly over the last couple of weeks I’m pretty much sure of what I want to do when it comes to the team,’ Hodgson said.
Is he merely a good player whose intermittent brilliance exposes the mediocrity of many his international teammates? Or is he the English enigma, perhaps even underachiever, who has caused so much frustration at major tournaments?
What is clear is, that at the age of 28 and with 89 caps and 38 goals behind him, Rooney owes England a big World Cup in Brazil. The Liverpool-born striker might have won Premier League and Champions League titles since joining Manchester United from Everton in 2004, but his England career has no obvious mark of distinction.
He is even waiting for his first World Cup goal. In Germany in 2006, Rooney had only just overcome a foot injury and was evidently lacking in match fitness when his temper boiled over and he was sent off for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho as England went out on penalties to Portugal in the quarterfinals.
‘Don’t kill him,’ Sven-Goran Eriksson told the media afterwards, as expectation and disappointment collided.
ANOTHER INJURY
In South Africa in 2010, the frustration of life with England, and another pre-tournament injury, again got to the forward. At the end of England’s stultifying 0-0 group-stage draw with Algeria, Rooney said into a TV camera as he walked off: ‘Nice to see your own fans booing you.’ He later apologised for ‘any offence caused’.
Rooney couldn’t take part in England’s first two matches at Euro 2012 because he was suspended after being red carded during the final qualifier against Montenegro. He returned to score the winner against Ukraine but could not lift his team mates in the quarterfinal with Italy which ended with another penalty shootout defeat. ‘Rooney only plays well in Manchester,’was former England coach Fabio Capello’s damning assessment.
Even the one tournament that Rooney has graced - the 2004 European Championship - has become strangely tainted over the years by the subsequent feeling of unfulfilled potential. So after he has covered his pale-white face in factor-50, which Rooney will turn up beneath the Brazilian winter sun in June? Sadly, for England supporters, it is impossible to predict with any degree of confidence.
This time last year, Rooney was about to embark on a summer of uncertainty as his Old Trafford future lay in the balance. Most observers suspected that Rooney, whose relationship with Alex Ferguson was said to be beyond repair, would seek a new challenge at Chelsea.
However, Ferguson’s short-lived successor, David Moyes, stood firm and Rooney stayed, even signing a new contract worth a reported 300,000 pounds a week in February. His commitment can never be doubted, however and there have been suggestions that England coach Roy Hodgson could ask Rooney to become captain if Steven Gerrard retires after Brazil, a recognition of his maturity and inspirational never-say-die attitude, yet dark clouds have been gathering, too.
Hodgson knows Eng WC squad
LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson already knows who he wants to take to the World Cup in Brazil and will not be influenced by a player’s club form towards the end of the Premier League season, he said on Tuesday. In an interview with FIFA website (www.fifa.com) Hodgson said he had a clear plan ahead of announcing his 23-man squad on May 13, and that his choices will be based on form from the last few months, or even years. ‘Nothing that happens in the last four games, in terms of form, is going to affect me. I don’t judge players on their last-minute form over two or three games. I’m judging them over two years. Or, in particular, if anyone new on the scene has emerged I’m judging him over several months. I’m not going to make decisions in the last week or two of the season, which is a notoriously bad time to judge talent. I’ve had a very clear idea of what I want to do with this squad for a long, long time. Certainly over the last couple of weeks I’m pretty much sure of what I want to do when it comes to the team,’ Hodgson said.
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