Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Decline of Wayne Rooney and the England Squad



deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
20,889
Whilst I don't believe the tabloids saying Wayne Rooney is sold I certainly think Ferguson has started to respect him less and less due to his fitness issues and his eating and drinking habits outside of football. He's now 28 and it certainly looks as if his best days are done, should he be cast out from United which wouldn't be that surprising I'm imagining he'll fall further down the rabbit hole of drinking pints and eating fried chicken and will end up fat faster than Robinho or any other Brazillian whose star has faded. I certainly can't see Rooney being in top condition for the Brazilian WC.

Where does that leave England? Welbeck IMO is average, Sturridge slightly better, who else do we have coming through? Harry Kane?
 




deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
20,889
28 best days behind him just look at RVP he's on fire! I think best days are a head of him imho

RVP is a phenomenal athelete poles apart from Rooney. I listened to the guardian podcast lat night and they were talking about the fact that Rooney must have walked off the pitch looking at Ronaldo and thinking what if. They were at a similar level when Ronaldo left Unite, now Ronaldo is at the top of his game fitter then ever and considered one of the best players in the world, Rooney although still having a shot on him was left benched unfit and getting fatter by the season.

I hope your right though because I can't see much past Rooney for England, Defoe and Bent?
 




mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,481
England
He's 27.

This is, based on OPTA stats, his joint-most productive season ever in terms of goals+assists/per game

Just to balance the argument.
 




Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
Harry Kane! :lolol: Hilarious.

Rooney is still a top class striker. Fergie picks who he wants, when he wants to. I think the resting of Rooney showed arrogance, he has every right to be, but I think he was rested to get Welbeck more big game experience and he probably thought they'd win the game without needing Rooney. It backfired.

I also think he likes winding up the press and giving them stories to talk about which actually aren't stories at all.

And finally, Danny Welbeck. :facepalm:
 


BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
Whilst I don't believe the tabloids saying Wayne Rooney is sold I certainly think Ferguson has started to respect him less and less due to his fitness issues and his eating and drinking habits outside of football. He's now 28 and it certainly looks as if his best days are done, should he be cast out from United which wouldn't be that surprising I'm imagining he'll fall further down the rabbit hole of drinking pints and eating fried chicken and will end up fat faster than Robinho or any other Brazillian whose star has faded. I certainly can't see Rooney being in top condition for the Brazilian WC.

Where does that leave England? Welbeck IMO is average, Sturridge slightly better, who else do we have coming through? Harry Kane?

I watched the Footballers Footballers Show last night and they too implied that he has fitness issues.

Of course Ferguson will know if this is the case and it looks more likely that he might be moved on, so something is up.

I think we have all been the victims of our own prejudices, we see Rooney as some council estate scally that was bound to fail, but he hasn't.

Cannot remember too many ( if any ) photos of him out on the town and although I accept he will have an entourage around him protecting him from this exposure, he seems to conduct himself rather well.

A couple of indiscretions with low class prostitutes aside, he has reached 28 years old as a top talent and should be seen to be a very good professional.

He will be alright.
 


Lethargic

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2006
3,456
Horsham
He's just reached his level - a good Premiership player no more will never be a real world class player but being English we built him up to be greater than Pele, Cruyff and Maradona combined he was never going to hit that level.
Hitting the top level as a youngster means he's already had 10 years or so at the top so dropping abit at 28 is not that big a surprise, the real problem for Egland is the distinctly average strikers following him.
 




Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
I have always maintained on here that he is not world class and is just average like England, often to cries of derision ( are you there Sheebo and Mellotron? :lolol:). OK he had a couple of good games when he was very young but he has looked plain average against good International teams for a few years now. Good Premier League player, nothing more.
 










BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
He has been in the limelight since he was a kid and generally he has been an outstanding player.

Remember Fergy or a Man Utd doesn't give too many players a £250 000 week if they are average Premier League players.

I had nearly forgotten how old he had got, it is inevitable that he will have peak and troughs in his form so a bit premature to write him off just yet.

I agree that he has yet to show any kind of form in major international tournaments, so he will not be classed as world class.

Again be sure that those recognisable world class player, Ronaldo, Messi, Cruyff, Maradonna and Pele were probably not at their very best every season, football just doesnt work like that.
 


vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,867
I have always maintained on here that he is not world class and is just average like England, often to cries of derision ( are you there Sheebo and Mellotron? :lolol:). OK he had a couple of good games when he was very young but he has looked plain average against good International teams for a few years now. Good Premier League player, nothing more.

This.

Plus he has not really pushed on in the last few years, two good examples are RvP and The Ladyboy, Rooney seems quite happy demolishing weaker Premiership teams and running around a lot harrying defenders but not much else. RvP has been a revelation as the point of attack for United, creating and scoring a hatfull of goals.
 




Napper

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
23,858
Sussex
Sturridge has been class for Liverpool
Wellbeck was good in the Euros
Defoe bangs them in and has a good England record
Walcott through the middle an option

Rooney never done much Portugal Euros for England anyway

Things actually healthier than they were few years back
 


Stumpy Tim

Well-known member
I was at the game on Tuesday night, and Danny Welbeck was outstanding. I was genuinely surprised at how good he was. Great touch, and the Madrid defence were very worried about him. He needs to work on consistency in front of goal, but I am converted to a Welbeck fan
 


Napper

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
23,858
Sussex
I was at the game on Tuesday night, and Danny Welbeck was outstanding. I was genuinely surprised at how good he was. Great touch, and the Madrid defence were very worried about him. He needs to work on consistency in front of goal, but I am converted to a Welbeck fan

Wellbeck good player. Hasnt whinged all season and has been shoved out wide most the time

International class I'd say
 


Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,521
With a player like Rooney you worry how he might cope abroad and, if he were to leave Man Utd, whether he'd be a starter at any of Europe's big clubs.

He needs to decide what's important to him - playing, wages, winning trophies but not starting etc. It's difficult to imagine him anywhere else than Man Utd but I can see all of the other big English clubs being interested in making a deal provided they could move on certain players to make it happen.

He scored 34 goals for United in 2011/12 and has scored 7 goals in his last 11 appearances for England. At 28 he has a lot to offer. You wonder whether Mourinho would be interested, or Spurs if they sold Bale, or Arsenal to provide that 'big' name they lack.
 






Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,521
The key fact re England:

Wayne Rooney: 79 apps, 33 goals.

Walcott / Sturridge / Wellbeck / Carroll / Bent / Defoe: 124 apps, 32 goals.

No doubt about it - this is the weakest crop of strikers in my 44 y.o. lifetime. When you think back 14 or 15 years when we had Shearer, Sheringham, Owen, Fowler, Ferdinand, Le Tissier, Wright it's just sad.
 



Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here