POF
Full Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2014
- Messages
- 3,805
Your opinion is wrong. On multiple grounds.
First, people who do not "examine themselves" cannot really get to the top of their professions, no matter how much talent they happen to have. To improve, you have to work hard on your weaknesses. Without hard work, talent means nothing.
Second, Rooney has been the best English player in Euro 2016. Omitting him was a stupid blunder. Now England has finished below Wales (!!!) and it will have to face harder opponents.
He really isn't wrong. The core of "world class" England players from the "golden generation" who have/had the media and agents telling them how great they are/were did anything but "examine themselves". The disbelief when Rio, Terry, Gerrard and Lampard couldn't recreate their club form for England was bizarre. Managers invariably got the blame for the players not reproducing their club form.
They weren't as good because Rio didn't have Vidic, Terry didn't have Carvalho, Gerrard didn't have Alonso/Mascherano and Lampard didn't have Makalele/Essien next to them. Not only did those players provide better balance but they were better players with smaller egos.
Rooney's favourite is "sacrificing himself for the good of the team" and mentioning how he should "demand to play in his best position". Ignoring the rewriting of history that Rooney comsistently played wide to accommodate Ronaldo, you just have to look at last season. He promised 20/25 goals if played up front and he failed miserably. How many times has he (or the media) acknowledged that without blaming the manager?
As for his role in midfield, Rooney definitely has the ability to contribute effectively in that role. He can do it if United can find 2 top class players to play there with him to get the best out of him.