Great News For England at last.

The most overrated player in the history of English international football has just announced his retirement from the national side, effective immediately. Wayne Rooney said today that "after a long hard think" (of similar length to the thought he has to give to tying his boot laces), he will no longer be putting on the white shirt. The tiny scouser personifies the Prima Donna top flight English player that makes no effort for the national team for fear that doing so might jeopardise his multi-million pound premiership career.

Under the captaincy of Rooney, England's highest scoring international (fifty percent of which were from practically unmissable penalty spot kicks), the national side has been consistently humiliated by the teams of countries who can only draw players from lower league sides.

The overweight and lazy Liverpudlian has been booked multiple times and sent off, throws child like tantrums when he doesn't get his way, cheats, and is generally a very bad ambassador and example for the English game. Good riddance you fat idle scouse wanker.

a reply to: CulturalResilience

Do you really think there will be any improvment with Vardy, Kane or the young Rashford ?

No. Not while the the national side draws these ponces from the premiership that have no pride or integrity.
a reply to: theultimatebelgianjoke

a reply to: CulturalResilience

there's too much money in football these days for these players to give a #. when you're getting payed £100-300k a week to kick a ball about, performing well or not isn't really a priority anymore.

a reply to: CulturalResilience

Yes!

A good portion of his goals were scored against very poor teams as well. In addition, though I may be incorrect, I'm no expert, I believe that he only scored a single goal in world cup finals (i.e. when it actually mattered). I'm not disputing that he had a good career at Utd but, as an international player, he was a total bust. Most overrated is an accurate sentiment I believe. Glad he's gone.

I've said for a number of years now I think they should look to the championship for motivated and hungry players for the international team. So what if we don't win, we don't win anyway, may as well give some players who care a chance...

The spirit of English football was killed by the premiership. Im amazed they still have the gall to call it The English Premiership.
a reply to: zootmanx

I completely agree. I think its a real shame that England can't use players from the armed forces for the national side. If you ever see the The Parachute Regiment play the Royal Marines you'll truly understand what competitive spirit is.
a reply to: Indrasweb

I always preferred the Thursday reserve games as people had a point to prove before the 25 man cap came in.

a reply to: CulturalResilience

The most overrated player in the history of English international football has just announced his retirement from the national side, effective immediately.

In other words, Southgate told him he wasn't in his plans anymore...

England always disappoint at tournaments because (a) the players are knackered after a straight 9 months of football... and (b) because if they get injured, like was mentioned above, they ain't collecting their full fat salaries every week.

I also believe they want to be ejected from the Euro's and World Cup as early as possible to have a longer summer break. What you rightly say about them being knackered after the season proves to me that they don't work hard enough on their personal fitness, and is another reason to select from the championship leagues.
a reply to: SecretKnowledge

a reply to: CulturalResilience
I agree that some hungry players from championship teams should be called up, but what manager would risk his job for that?
Too much at stake.

I disagree about their personal fitness, a lot of the players are playing 60/70+ matches a season. Enough to tire anyone out.

A months winter break, like some leagues in Europe is whats needed.

Maybe pride in the national shirt is missing?

a reply to: SecretKnowledge

That just proves that they're not up to par with passion, dedication, endurance or maturity.

Even if they got a tenth of their pay whilst injured, they are still laughing all the way to the bank. Selfish #s.

He hasn't done much for England since he was at Everton the first time. If he hadn't have got injured in Portugal, England may have gone alot further in that competition.
In fairness he's not been the only one. The 'golden generation' were really poor as well at tournaments. They've been am embarrassment for the past 13 or so years.
Hopefully with the youth teams doing so well this summer, there may be some positives on the horizon.
Hopefully there's a bright light as far as clubs go playing English players. I'm an Everton fan and the other night started with 8 English players against city. We've got even more coming through who are looking really good.

a reply to: CulturalResilience

I actually believe England wanted to win the Euro's last summer. As usual, they were talking like they already won it before the tournament started. Then when it was revealed that they'd get Iceland in the finale 16's they were talking like they were already through. A big newspaper article posted a picture of our winning goal against Austria with the headline "the goal that SAVED England" Because if our game had gone 1-1 england would've got Portugal instead of us. Man that backfired! *claps*
England always wants to win, the thing is...they can't due to lack of team building. They have a lot of good individuals, but they aren't a real team.

England suffer from their league being so good too. Youth doesn't get the chances they deserve and with the new tv deals every single team in the league is buying more quality players, so if it goes on like this, the development of English players will keep stagnating since they don't get any playtime. If I were a fan of the English NT I would be very worried about this situation.

As for Rooney, it's definitely an end of an era...can't say I'm a big fan of his but respect to what he's done/won. This season however, I will look forward to watching him play with Gylfi Sigurðsson at Everton.

The only bit of your reply I cannot agree with is respect for him. He is not deserving of it in my opinion. The blight on English football, commonly referred to as the premiership has more clout than the governing body (The F.A.) and that should never have been allowed to happen. Nothing will change for the national side while the premiership has primacy.
a reply to: Verse

a reply to: CulturalResilience

The most overrated player in the history of English international football

That honour goes to Theo Walcott.

No one rates Walcott, not even his mum.
a reply to: alldaylong

originally posted by: alldaylong
a reply to: CulturalResilience

The most overrated player in the history of English international football

That honour goes to Theo Walcott.

I would say Owen Hargreaves there...

Harsh.

Rooney was awesome as a teenager and took Euro 2004 by storm. I think after that all his natural instincts were coached out of him. Managers cannot teach everyone to play like Messi or Ronaldo so they concentrate on tactics and defensive solidity. We definitely saw him at his best in an England shirt under Sven.

England's problems go way back to the 1970s. Not even qualifying for any World Cups in that decade (other than as reigning Champions). There was a minor revival in the 80s and early 90s with Lineker & Co. But England's main problem is players freeze and play within themselves once they get to a tournament.

Rooney will be judged as the last of the 'golden generation'. A generation whose potential went unfulfilled. But Grannies still love him.