Rooney is England’s only chance

My colleague wrote an article a few weeks ago asking if England can win the world cup. In my view it is highly unlikely that they can but one thing is for certain. If Wayne Rooney was missing for the tournament they wouldn’t stand a chance.

Scored

For the first time in his professional career Rooney scored four goals in a game yesterday as his United side beat an admittedly poor Hull. That made it nineteen in twenty-three for Rooney this season which is a fine record whichever way you look at it.

After the game Rooney said,

“It is the first time I have scored four times in a professional match and it is a great feeling. am really proud of the achievement. It is something special. I’m confident of beating my best season at United. I’ve still got hopefully another twenty games to play, I won’t be happy if I don’t get more than twenty-three. The difference this season is that I’ve consciously been getting in the box more and trying to put myself in goalscoring situations.”

Hull manager Phil Brown said,

“I would have to say he is one of the best strikers in the world just now. He is someone who is capable of making half chances into a great chance. When you see him in that form it certainly bodes well for England at the World Cup.”

Sir Alex Ferguson said,

“Without doubt those four goals were the highlight for me. He has been wanting to develop himself as a scorer and there were some terrific finishes today. He has always been a main player for us, from the moment he came to the club. He never gets left out.”

Sometimes when you watch Rooney you can see that his first touch isn’t always great. He sometimes seems to be running around the pitch like a headless chicken with no real idea of what he is trying to do. Sometimes he fails to control his temper and loses his dicipline. All of these things are reasons why he is not regarded in the same way as Messi or Ronaldo or Kaka.

Special

Despite that, Rooney is a player who can make special things happen on a football pitch. He can create goals out of nothing for himself or others and he is the only English player with the type of skill and flair that we so admire in some continental players.

At the age of twenty-four Wayne Rooney is England’s best player by a country mile. He is absolutely crucial to England’s chances in the summer and Fabio Capello must just wish that his star man could be wrapped up in cotton wool and not touched until June.

Relaceable

England have other good players but they are all replaceable. Lampard, Gerrard and Terry, together with the likes of Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are all probably world class players but if any of them were missing, Capello would not have to change his plans too dramatically. If Rooney is missing, he rest of the England squad may as well not bother flying to South Africa and take a nice holiday on the Med instead. He is that important.

Of course, Sir Alex won’t be resting Wayne so that he is fresh for the world cup. He’ll be playing him in every game because if United are going to win anything he is equally important to them.

Stop

It is time to stop moaning about Rooney’s foul mouth and bad temper. It is time to stop taking the mickey out of him for not being the sharpest tool in the box. It is time to recognise him as a great footballer and get behind him as England’s main man.