Capello issues Rooney hint

[SjaaKTreKHaaK]

England coach Fabio Capello has dropped a clear hint that Wayne Rooney will be going to next summer's European Championship.

 

Capello has not spoken about Rooney since the Manchester United striker was handed a three-match ban by UEFA for his red card in Montenegro earlier this month.

Although it is still to be decided whether the Football Association will launch an appeal against the suspension, as it presently stands, Rooney will be ruled out of the entire group stage of the competition in Poland and Ukraine.

The widespread view amongst professionals is that Rooney should go, even though, as Sir Alex Ferguson pointedly remarked on Monday, England may not even qualify for the knockout stages, which would render the 25-year-old a non-playing member of Capello's squad.

But, speaking at a Club Wembley breakfast hosted at Wembley on Tuesday, Capello indicated Rooney would be part of his plans as part of an observation about the balance of younger players and older ones in his squad.

"The young players are really good and ready to play with the seniors, and the experience of the seniors is really important," said Capello.

"During the games we need some leaders, people that know something.

"Jack Wilshere is incredible because he is so young. We also need the experience of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Scott Parker.

"You need this kind of player, plus Rooney, I hope."

Ferdinand might also be pleased to receive a name check after he was left out of the squad for the final Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro.

But Rooney, more than any other player, has the ability to lift England onto the next level and hit the goal trail last night with two penalties in United's Champions League defeat of Otelul Galati, which took his tally for the season onto 11.

Edited October 19, 2011 by SjaaKTreKHaaK

[Gubbi]

England cannot afford to leave Rooney out of their squad. When they get through the group stage he will be very important for the knockout ties. When he is in form he is definitely one of the best, being able to make the difference in a match.

[icky?/]

England cannot afford to leave Rooney out of their squad. When they get through the group stage he will be very important for the knockout ties. When he is in form he is definitely one of the best, being able to make the difference in a match.

 

+1

[Panini*Hobbit@mp3]

Without a doubt he is England's best player at the moment. He's on form and deserves to be brought. That being said, it will be hard for them to reach the knockout stages and his stupid sending off will cost them a lot. They have a lot of young players coming through the ranks and in a few years it'll be hell trying to play for England!

 

I hope they don't reach the knockout phase for one reason - if they do get there, then they'll be like "We're going to win the cup" blabla bullshit all over the papers.. I don't mind the fact that they've confidence and like any country/team in a cup they'll always have belief that they'll win, but when it gets to the stage when its a case of we WILL win, which has happened numerous times.. well people get sick of that! They have the talent, they have the belief, when they lose they can't accept it and blame something (like Alex Ferguson of Man Utd) and well.. if they did win, we'd never hear the end of it.. just like we never hear the end of the World Cup of 66