Wayne Rooney’s England career looks to be over after being pictured drunk… what a shame it had to end this way
WHAT a way to go out.
After 119 appearances for England, it is the end game for Wayne Rooney’s international career.
Six caps short of Peter Shilton’s record, Rooney’s refuelling at The Grove has pretty much finished him off under the new Gareth Southgate regime.
Sozzled when he should have been sober. Sloshed when he was meant to be setting an example.
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Rooney has thrown it all away after being caught drinking at 5am in between England internationals.
Germany are next up in March and unless Rooney can somehow redeem himself over the next four months, his England days appear to be over.
The country wanted to remember him for very different reasons.
The 17-year-old wonderkid who rampaged through the defences of Croatia, France and Switzerland at Euro 2004.
The pride when he overtook Sir Bobby Charlton’s goalscoring record for his country.
The honour of being made permanent England captain when Steven Gerrard called it quits after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Over time, all that will sink in and Rooney’s name will still be up there with some of the England greats.
He deserves that, whatever mischief he has been up to over his international career.
The here and now is the real, vexing issue.
Rooney, the country’s ambassador, was supposed to be going on his terms.
Done after the World Cup in Russia in 2018 he announced, against advice, when Sam Allardyce was appointed England head coach.
He will not make it that far. Moscow is beyond him now.
Gareth Southgate, England’s latest manager-in-waiting, will see to that.
So, too, will the FA after Martin Glenn announced a “proper investigation” into the boozy conduct of England players over the international break.
Rooney, captain of his country, is the focal point of the inquiry.
It will certainly make for an awkward night for all concerned when Rooney is honoured by the Football Writers’ Association at their dinner in January.
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“Hiya Wayne!”
Hard to raise a glass of red wine in his honour just a few months after Southgate decided to settle for someone else as captain.
By then Rooney will be an ex-England international.
The drink does for them all in the end.
In October it was Sam Allardyce, bundled out of the tradesman’ entrance at Wembley after necking a few pints and making inappropriate remarks with undercover Daily Telegraph reporters.
One month later it is the turn of Rooney, after his own remarkable night out.
Nobody should take any pleasure at the rapid demise of man who continues to captain Manchester United and is now the nominal England skipper.
Assuming the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed on Southgate’s contract in the next couple of weeks, Rooney’s days as captain are over.
He is not part of Southgate’s vision, a fact underscored by his determination to look at other players against Spain.
Regardless of his knee injury, Southgate had already made it clear that Rooney would not be starting against the former world champions.
Southgate wants to build a young, dynamic, progressive England side.
Rooney, haunted by failures in tournament football, is not part of that.
He is heavy-legged, carrying the burden of failure at three European Championships (2004, 2012, 2016) and three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014).
Playing in six tournaments deserves respect, but he is unlikely to play in another.
And Southgate would be a fool to shut the door completely on someone with such experience.
The last head coach to do that was Steve McClaren, claiming England were heading in a different direction when he ended David Beckham’s international career.
A year later he was back, called in to rescue England when they were in danger of missing out on Euro 2008.
Even Becks, with his mythical powers, could not do it.
If only Rooney had Beckham’s focus, Beckham’s discipline, Beckham’s manner.
He has tried hard over the years, open and friendly whenever you bump into him with England or United.
That should not be forgotten.
Neither should the gestures he makes, such as sending signed shirts from United and England to poorly supporters who need a leg up from the country’s captain.
They are nice touches, of course they are.
The reality is that Rooney’s startling dip in form, along with Sunday’s 5am finish, have given Southgate reason to axe him.
He was back for Scotland on Friday, captaining England to a 3-0 victory in a World Cup qualifier.
Just over 24 hours later, he was at the bar with a wedding party when he should have been keeping a low-profile at the Grove.
Others, including coaching staff and the backroom team, are expected to be disciplined for overstepping the mark.
Southgate will take no pleasure in Rooney’s scalp, but he has to make his mark and show that he can be the tough guy.
He knows that Rooney has had an amazing England career.
The saddest part is that it could have been an even better one.