It was bound to happen sooner rather than later but today Wayne Rooney found out what the football world had suspected might occur since his playing time began to dwindle at Manchester United this season; he has been dropped by the English National Team. This comes after the most goals by a player in an England Three Lions shirt (53) and 119 appearances which are the second most all time behind Peter Shilton but, like every English player who debuted after the 1966 World Cup win; Zero International trophies for the country level. Why would England drop a man who has been a mainstay since 2003 and on whose arm the Captain’s armband has rested since Steven Gerrard’s retirement in 2014? Multiple reasons actually, the first being the one cited by England Manager Gareth Southgate, in order to form a competent National squad, players need to be “on form” which means that players need to both be injury free and performing at a consistent level. Given his sporadic playing time and lingering leg injuries Rooney misses on both of those expectations.
There is also the issue of age, Rooney is 32 and getting slower all the time and may not even play in a top league next year, if the price on such a move is right for United. There is also the issue of England’s latest crop of stars with attackers Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford , and World Class striker Harry Kane coming into their primes it seems foolish to waste a roster spot on a player who has been injured and allowing him take a roster spot from a younger, and at this point in time better attacking player than Rooney, especially during World Cup qualifying in which England eventually will seek to end their major trophy drought assuming they qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Southgate left open the possibility of coming back for Rooney but if he does in my estimations it would be as an assistant coach or manager rather than as a player. So long Wayne, we hardly knew you.
