Any point taking Rooney?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Being the best English player in the premier league doesn't mean you'd walk into any team in the world, even Spain.

David Villa
Fernando Torres
Pedro Rodríguez
Fernando Llorente

So you're telling me that those ^^ are any better than Rooney?!

For many managers, reliable >>>>> better.

And its all about the mix of the team, too. Again, for many managers, a team where the whole team contributes >>>>> a team based around one star player.

[Silver Fox]

Being the best English player in the premier league doesn't mean you'd walk into any team in the world, even Spain.

David Villa
Fernando Torres
Pedro Rodríguez
Fernando Llorente

So you're telling me that those ^^ are any better than Rooney?!

Not neccesarily on a straight comparison but if Rooney was played in even the Spain B team that played on tuesday he'd be flailing like Kes. Bear in mind that this wonderful player that everyone is so concerned about being suspended has scored the sum total of no goals in the last two tournaments

[Royal Rother]

And looked completely out of his depth most of the time in "achieving" that.

[Mr Angry]

IMHO leaving him behind would be like working on being a team rather than basing everything around one player.

I'd much rather see a team of younger players who are enthusiastic and compltely committed to the cause, than have it all resting on senior players with massive egos who frequently seem not to care very much or be very committed to the team.

+1 X 1,000,000.

[TBM]

Being the best English player in the premier league doesn't mean you'd walk into any team in the world, even Spain.

David Villa
Fernando Torres
Pedro Rodríguez
Fernando Llorente

So you're telling me that those ^^ are any better than Rooney?!

Not neccesarily on a straight comparison but if Rooney was played in even the Spain B team that played on tuesday he'd be flailing like Kes. Bear in mind that this wonderful player that everyone is so concerned about being suspended has scored the sum total of no goals in the last two tournaments

But isn't that down to the shit he has around him?

Look at his goal scoring record at Utd........so it proves he can score goals. If he were in the Spain side, he would score goals as people will actually be setting him up to do so.

[Svlad Cjelli]

I think we're likely to be a better, more creative and more dangerous team without him.

Other teams know that he's so important to us that we play everything through him - and so they not only mark him out of the game but do everything to antagonise him.

We now have the chance to try to develop other options where the threat is the whole team, not just him.

[Hoop Blah]

1) Capello will take him.

2) He is a very very good player and would certainly challenge for a place in the Spain team. His technique, awareness, workrate and vision are exactly the kind of thing that Spain and Barca look for and work off. I really can't understand people who can't appreciate how good a player he is (the number of goals he's scored or his performances at the last World Cup don't change that), it's like you can't appreciate how good he is for the want of being critical.

3) I'd take him. The argument that the other strikers would just be looking over their shoulder doesn't hold water for me. Competition for places is always a good thing and if they can't handle a good player breathing over their shoulder for their spot then they shouldn't be playing football at that level.

The argument that we might become a better team without him is potentially valid and it is certainly a possibility (France improved when they ditched Cantona and Ginola at different times didn't they?), however, you'd still take him because having a player of his ability to come off the bench or into the team is something that managers can usually only dream of.

Can we waste a place in the 23 man squad? Of course we can. Depending on tactics I've always maintained we should take 5 forwards and lose a specialist full back or centre half (we have the likes of Richards, Lescot, Smalling, Jones etc) who can double up to offer good quality cover across the back and it's having the options and quality in the final third that generally gets you through the knockout games. There's plenty of scope to fit Rooney into the 23, even if that means we come home before he gets to play.

4) The alternatives: Crouch doesn't seem fancied these days, which I think is a shame, and I see Gerrard being the obvious direct replacement in a 4-2-3-1 which it looks like we'll go into the Euro's playing. With that in mind the likes of Bent, Sturridge, Zamora, Carroll (for that something different) and Welbeck can all provide a decent point to the attack but none of them will be the real replacement for Rooney because one of them will play regardless, it's who take's the number 10 position that is the interesting question. Young may well be the other likely alternative to Gerrard with Lennon, Adam Jonhson, Milner, Downing, Oxlade-Chamberlain (perhaps if he has a big season) or even SWP making a late taking the other wide berth. The attacking 3 should really be flexible and adaptable enough to switch around and vary the attack enough that Rooney as an individual isn't the be all and end all so we do have the depth.

The only reasona I wouldn't take him is if, as the manager who knew him, I thought he wouldn't cope with the pressure of not playing for 3 games or, and probably much more likely, that the distraction of having him around (largely in the eyes of the media) would have too much of a negative on the preperations as it has in the past with other key players.

[Terminal Boardom]

There is a huge amount of water to pass under the bridge before we even get to naming the squad. All sorts of things could happen. Rooney may get injured in April. Capello has a chance to mould a squad without Rooney so let's sit back and see how well he manages to cope without the so called world class player.

Anyone remember the Greece side that won the Euros a few years back (2000?) No world class players in that squad but more a case of playing as a team. That is what Capello and co need to do. Build a squad where the sum is greater than the whole.

When was the last time Rooney had a good international competition? 2004? Since then he, along with so many other so called world class players have struggled to produce the goods. On the matter of so called world class players. would anyone else include Cole, Gerrard and Lampard in that bracket? I don't buy into the argument that Rooney is our only so called world class player.

[Hoop Blah]

...On the matter of so called world class players. would anyone else include Cole, Gerrard and Lampard in that bracket? I don't buy into the argument that Rooney is our only so called world class player.

I'd agree with that. Rooney isn't our only world class player (depending on your definition of course, but Cole is certainly up there and depending on his form and fitness so is Gerrard (at what he does) and, potentially Hart (probably needs a few more years to join that bracket) but after that we've got lots of not quite world class players) but he is still our best, and crucially for me, our best attacking player.

[Terminal Boardom]

...On the matter of so called world class players. would anyone else include Cole, Gerrard and Lampard in that bracket? I don't buy into the argument that Rooney is our only so called world class player.

I'd agree with that. Rooney isn't our only world class player (depending on your definition of course, but Cole is certainly up there and depending on his form and fitness so is Gerrard (at what he does) and, potentially Hart (probably needs a few more years to join that bracket) but after that we've got lots of not quite world class players) but he is still our best, and crucially for me, our best attacking player.

I think that what is a shame is that a trio of Wellback, Rooney and Young won't have a chance to develop any sort of relationship and understanding at international level. What I have seen of Young and Rooney, admittedly against Bulgaria, they looked good. But it was only Bulgaria.

And, congrats to Rooney to becoming the second England international to be sent off twice. Prat!

[Seal]

When was the last time Rooney had a good international competition? 2004?

'Tis a fine point.

No need to panic if he's not there. Chance for some youngsters to step up. Nice analogy with the current Welsh rugby team or Germany at 2010: young players with no fear and no baggage, playing with confidence, creativity and freedom.

Sturridge, Wellbeck, Cleverley, AOX, Jones, Smalling, Young, Walcott, Wilshere, Walker.

All young, quick, fresh and relatively fearless. Could surprise a few people.

[FiNeRaIn]

Thank god none of you are near the England management, some horrific opinions. We play pub teams in the group stages and he'll be back for the one's that matter. He is by far the best England player and we need him there. People make such a fuss over Rooney off the pitch its embarrassing. The best players in the world all make mistakes, zidane once got himself sent off in the world cup final for a headbutt ffs. Englands gutter press go out of their way to create problems for our national teams and you chumps all lap it up and hop on the bandwagon, massive problem with modern day society IMO.

Lastly who is Englands current top goalscorer? Give you a clue, the next striker behind him has 4, he himself has 28.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Thank god none of you are near the England management, some horrific opinions. We play pub teams in the group stages .......

This is the Eruos, not the World Cup. There's hardly any dead wood in the group stages.

[cmonurz]

Lastly who is Englands current top goalscorer? Give you a clue, the next striker behind him has 4, he himself has 28.

It’s this stat that gives me hope that Crouch (22) might still stand a chance of going to the Euros (ahead of Carroll, who just isn’t having an impact), and equally that puts me in fear that we may not have seen the last of Defoe (14 I think) in and England shirt.

If we could afford five strikers I'd take Owen, but that's just sentiment and the Liverpool fan-boy in me.

[Silver Fox]

People make such a fuss over Rooney off the pitch its embarrassing. The best players in the world all make mistakes.

With rooney it's on the pitch that's the problem, the bloke's a liability when he plays for England. Well done for your expert opinion as ever though, pub teams indeed

[TBM]

Thank god none of you are near the England management, some horrific opinions. We play pub teams in the group stages .......

This is the Eruos, not the World Cup. There's hardly any dead wood in the group stages.

If we avoid Holland and Spain then we could have a group of

Poland
England
Greece
Ireland

Hardly challenging

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Thank god none of you are near the England management, some horrific opinions. We play pub teams in the group stages .......

This is the Eruos, not the World Cup. There's hardly any dead wood in the group stages.

We had the easiest group in the World Cup and we nearly messed it up.

[Hoop Blah]

When was the last time Rooney had a good international competition? 2004?

'Tis a fine point.

To be fair to him he was injured for the 2006 World Cup and possibly shouldn't even have been taken let alone played upfront on his own. We obviously didn't qualify for the 2008 Euro's so it's only really the last tournament where he was disappointing and the whole team, apart from Cole and Gerrard, failed to produce any decent form.

He was exceptional in 2004 and, if played in the right position, I'm sure he can be again (although he might not get the chance next summer now).

No need to panic if he's not there. Chance for some youngsters to step up. Nice analogy with the current Welsh rugby team or Germany at 2010: young players with no fear and no baggage, playing with confidence, creativity and freedom.

Sturridge, Wellbeck, Cleverley, AOX, Jones, Smalling, Young, Walcott, Wilshere, Walker.

All young, quick, fresh and relatively fearless. Could surprise a few people.

Totally agree on a fresh generation of fearless players giving us a more upbeat suqad and potentially a better chance of doing well. Some of them aren't ready yet though, but if we can get the balance right then we'll have a chance.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Totally agree on a fresh generation of fearless players giving us a more upbeat suqad and potentially a better chance of doing well. Some of them aren't ready yet though, but if we can get the balance right then we'll have a chance.

They'll only get ready by playing, though.

[Royal Rother]

Thank god none of you are near the England management, some horrific opinions. We play pub teams in the group stages .......

This is the Eruos, not the World Cup. There's hardly any dead wood in the group stages.

If we avoid Holland and Spain then we could have a group of

Poland
England
Greece
Ireland

Hardly challenging

Surely you have watched enough of England at major tournaments to realise that, whatever the teams, any group (incl the above) would be challenging?