I always think that Rooney would benefit from doing a Scholes and dropping back into central midfield. Sadly I don't think he would have the discipline to do it. He just strikes me as neither being a traditional 'number 9' or a 'number 10' type player, but he does have good vision and workrate so could potentially be an effective midfield player.
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If and When Wayne Rooney becomes both Englands most capped player and top scorer
- Thread starter Goring Gull
- Start date
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 30,583
But turn that on its head - who in that side is so outstanding that they SHOULD be guaranteed their place every game?
Only Hart really- not because he is outstanding but through lack of an alternative.
Indeed. We all know he won't be dropped anyway, I'm not sure I remember the last time he had a good game just looks a distinctly average player to me. Think about past England captains, some inspirational great leaders, now we have Rooney who isn't even a natural leader on the pitch
I have several issues with the England captaincy.
1. They are ALWAYS undroppable;
2. They are elevated to some kind of mystical leader (Gerrard/Terry/Beckham being most recent);
3. They are usually the best player rather than the best captain;
With Rooney though, what grates is that he just always get what he wants. £300k a week, the United captaincy, the England captaincy and his conduct has never been that of a captain in my opinion.
THAT SAID... If and when he becomes our most capped player and our top goalscorer, then fair play to him. It takes a special kind of player to have that level of a) longevity and b) goalscoring at an international level. He deserves recognition for such milestones irrespective of any other external factors.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 30,583
I like Hart and he is a good keeper but is he REALLY that much better than Forster or Foster? 2 or 3 years ago I though he was the real deal but he doesn't seem to have progressed. In the Prem I certainly rate Courtois, Lloris and De Gea more highly.
Nobody is guaranteed a place, beyond Hart. Cahill is probably the closest, and he would be my choice.
I don't really like the cult of the England captain, tbh - its completely pointless, and just gives the manager an unecessary headache - he knows if the chosen captain is ever left out, it will always be a big DRAMA.
I prefer the Italian system, where they just pick a side, and whoever has the most caps gets given the armband.
keaton
Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
- Nov 18, 2004
- 9,661
It does help that their most capped players of recent years are Nesta, Buffon, Maldini, Pirlo, Cannavaro whereas ours would be Rooney and Milner
I take your point, but it doesn't make a difference in my mind - my point is that if the manager wanted to leave out Nesta, then Pirlo got the armband - If Pirlo wasn't up to two games in four days, he could be rested and Cannavaro takes it, etc. Whereas in our system, whoever it currently is - as soon as they are left out its a MASSIVE unecessary big deal.
I agree but the way the media works in this country, if we were to move to the most experienced player route, it would be portrayed as a slap in the face of whomever they deem to be next in line. The simple fact is that the captaincy is too big a deal for what it actually is and as things stand we have very few captains who are actually leaders on the pitch.
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Only for that one next time though, and then its dealt with, forever more
Only for that one next time though, and then its dealt with, forever more
SK1NT
Well-known member
To me he will always be an absolute over hyped overrated, money grabber with an over inflated ego.
Yes he will go down as Englands top goal scorer but the majority of goals were against very poor opponents, and by always being put in the main team from an early age no matter how poor he is.
I will also remember his performance during the 2010 world cup. He had the touch of a rapist. Shocking.. He looked like a fat pie eating sunday pub team player.
The sooner he retires the better.
Yes he will go down as Englands top goal scorer but the majority of goals were against very poor opponents, and by always being put in the main team from an early age no matter how poor he is.
I will also remember his performance during the 2010 world cup. He had the touch of a rapist. Shocking.. He looked like a fat pie eating sunday pub team player.
The sooner he retires the better.
John Bumlick
Banned
Wait.... You need brain/foot coordination to be a PhD? Awesome, I've got another excuse for not making it....
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
The likes of Greaves and Charlton filled their boots vs your Luxembourgs as well you know.
Lineker got a hattrick in the 8-0 Turkey-shoot when they were shite, as well as many other minnows. They weren't ALL against Germany and Argentina.
You might not like Rooney as a person or a player, but to deride his goalscoring record at the top level is churlish and ridiculous.
But this is the point, he doesn't score at the top level. He has one goal from 3 World Cup finals. He is the most red-carded England player though.
2004 great white hope, 2006 Silly dope sent off and probably got us knocked out, 2010 Couldn't even trap the ball, 2012 Yet another poor to mediocre performance, 2014 A bit better but had he been sharper, could have got us a bit further. A very good player though not really world class. Could have done better when it mattered but sure you can't take the records away. For me 7.5 out of 10 but 10 years ago was expecting 9.5 out of 10.
Seagull on the wing
New member
So who can you compare him with...if you want to talk about him breaking the goal scoring record then you can only compare him what has gone before him...goals are goals...even Bobby Smith the ex England forward didn't end up our top scorer in 1964...whatever the opposition you still have to get the ball in the net...and game for game...Jimmy Greaves was superior.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
43 International goals and 30-odd Champions League goals isn't scoring at the top level ?
Of course it is but what he means is top top level for England ie tournaments .
Charlton = World Cup winner
Linekar = World Cup semi and World Cup golden boot
Just bit annoying he will have the record without even getting near the 2 achievements above .