If we can all see it though NSIS, then why don't the various England coaches that have picked him take him off? Sometimes he just does something stupid on the spur of the moment, but he's often like a bloody kettle, slowly boiling until the steam comes blasting out of his ears.
slowly boiling until the steam comes blasting out of his ears. ...any decent dyslexic would have put arse!
You would have to ask the likes of Capello on that one, PNP. One can only assume that it's because he is seen as "sacrosanct", in some way, and they're probably frightened he'll do "a Tevez", if they upset him. In some ways, I hope that UEFA stick to their decision. You never know, baby Wayne might finally learn that actions have consequences.
The sad thing is that if we do well in the group stages, you just know Capello will break up whatever has worked previously in order to accommodate Rooney. Sure one day it will work, but how many days when it doesn't do we have to put up with? It's like the Gerrard/Lampard thing. So many people saying they are good enough to both be in the team and should be able to play together, ignoring all the evidence that they can't. England just suffers from too much "accepted wisdom" and not enough willingness to create the best team (with whatever that means in terms of picking certain players). And where did this "talisman" thing come from? It's just one reporter reporting the words of another until it sticks. I don't think many fans would ever have called him that, particularly as there is no evidence for it. How quickly we forget the disaster of the World Cup. The authorities might just have done us a favour by banning him though. They might have thought they were hampering England's chances but they might just have done the opposite! Sometimes the best teams are found accidentally. They key is to recognise your good fortune and run with it. This is probably the difference between a great manager like Robson and our current manager whose ego prevents him seeing the truth.
The fact of the matter is that, frankly, there's no reason for Capello to take Rooney - but he won't be allowed to leave him at home because The Sun would doubtless tell their readers to take up their torches and pitchforks and descend upon FA HQ. The thing is, if England get out of the group with whichever combination up front, dropping one of them because Alex Ferguson's Blue-Eyed Boy is available after suspension is more harmful than not taking him at all, as it gives the message to the players that a fair number of them are only there in case the usual members of the England clique are injured or suspended, and will never be first-team players no matter what their form or fitness. Capello doesn't even have to take Rooney, though - what'll the FA do if he doesn't, fire him?
Andy Gray was sticking up for Rooney, too, telling us non-professional pundits that if you take the bad out of him you'll also take the good. What a load of bollocks! And even if that were true, I'd rather that Rooney didn't assault players and let his team and country down, than have his "talents" at any price. The game is better off without that kind of behaviour, and only marginally diminished by not having him at all.
I've never understood the argument that stopping someone from being an arsehole will make them become uncompetitive. What about competitive players that aren't arseholes?
I would agree with that. It's my view, too. Sven seems to be confusing aggression with mindless petulance, IMO. What really rankles with Rooney, is the impression he gives out that because he is "special", then the rules that apply to all others - don't apply to him.
I wonder why he might have that impression, NSIS? [video=youtube;o8V845zmQbQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8V845zmQbQ[/video]
The thing is this. We don't have the technically skilled players of Spain, Portugal or Brazil (to name but three other countries), so we have to get the right mix of players to play as a team. It seems to me that the only reason that Rooney is shoe-horned into the squad is because he happens to be one of England's most technically gifted players, but his being in the side upsets the balance, not only because the team is built around him, but also because the team appears to be brain-washed into believing that we can only win against the better sides if Rooney is player. The same was true to a certain expect also when Beckham was at his peak. In other words, the team performs less efficiently and effectively as it should do with Rooney in the side, because the team is playing the strength of one player, rather than to the combined strengths of the entire team. It's lazy coaching and management on the part of Capello. I would much rather that Rooney was dropped altogether, so that he no longer becomes the focal point and a distraction.
What the **** does being a twat have to do with his footballing ability, Lidls? Why would getting him to stop being a stroppy little child make him a worse player?
I've read comments about Rooney on this site and there is a widely held view that Utd wouldn't be such a force without him. If that's the case, why are so many prepared to discard him for England? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the same age, Gerrard and Lampard were forces for their club, yet **** for England. He has completely undone any bridges built repairing his reputation since the WC and now, you cannot get away from the fact he lets his private life affect his game. When the finals come round and if he goes, it will raise all this in his mind again, so won't be focused, having proved he's easily distracted. Lets say we make the last 16 and he starts, he's more than likely to try too hard and we saw the result of that in S.Africa. He'll have had no competitive match for a while, so straight into a knockout game, not for me Luke. Everything about it says bad idea...He'd probably miss the losing pen in a shootout!, however, he could console himself with more money from Pizza Hut! We make this mistake everytime taking reputations, Rooney on his day is unplayable, and capable of genius (derby OH kick), just don't see enough of it in an England shirt. I will reserve judgement to the end of the season to see his form then and his focus, but he will need to be in the form of his life to have any chance. The rest of the season is up to him. I'm shocked at the hyperbole of pundits saying we must take him anyway...disregarding form, if he's playing ****, and Rio has scored more goals, he fukin well stay here!
What Andy Gray should've said is that he gets away with it in the Premier League because of who he plays for, but Alex Ferguson doesn't have any influence over referees appointed by FIFA or UEFA, hence the notable increase in bookings and sendings off. At which point, the spotlight should focus on the person who has decided it isn't worth taking the ugly, petulant side out of his game - and that would be Alex Ferguson, whose had oplenty of time to do so. But, as he also has influence within the media, nobody's going to say that either...
I see that in an interview in Today's Sunday Fail, Gary Neville says that Rooney is an "absolute banker" to take to Euro 2012. Well, Gary mate, with the change of just one letter - I reckon you're spot on
These ex player pundits have far too much influence on the game IMO. Supporting players fouling and calling it 'professional fouls'. I perfer to call it what it is - cheating. BTW professional should mean behaving in a respectful manner showing courtesy to the other side within the established rules of the game, whilst at the same time playing to win. It all started with Norman Hunter against Poland, up until then we had left cheating to Italy & Argentina. I wouldn't pick any of this type of player for England, at least we would then lose with dignity instead of the nasty feeling I often get nowadays. I don't bother with England games now, they are just an unwanted interuptions to the league.
Spurf - completely agree. I think the modern world has embraced the attitude of "win at all costs" too much. To me, to win by cheating is not winning at all. Winning only has value if its done fairly and if the consequences of that are we have to accept not "winning" as often then so be it. Fact is we don't win one way or the other so we may as well play the game right! We can't slate other teams for cheating etc and condone it with our own. And the "professional" comment is very well made - because it implies a professional is someone who gets away with breaking the rules. NB there have been some brilliant arguments in this thread.
Oh I still watch. Don't know why. I suppose following Spurs for over 50 years, I've gotten used to false dawns.
I don't think that anyone's referring to Rooney's kick as cheating, Lilds. Idiocy and childishness, certainly, but he had nothing to gain by it. Diving, play-acting, going to ground easily and brandishing invisible cards, intentional fouls to break up play or stop breaks... The list of 'professional' cheating is extremely long. Pundits often fail to condemn it and call it clever, rather than telling it how it is and criticising the individual committing the offence.
