Manchester United starlet Wayne Rooney may be a very talented (and rich) footballer but, in racing parlance, he’s showing worrying signs of failing to ‘train on.’
In other words he doesn’t perform regularly enough against the big boys, failing to score for England for a couple of years now.
Andorra, England’s opponents on Saturday in the first of manager Fabio Capello’s World Cup qualifiers, could hardly be described as big boys but he couldn’t score against them either.
One reason for this is that he still plays big matches as though they’re kickabouts in the playground, chasing the ball rather than keeping his position as a supposed striker.
This prompted Don Fabio’s ire. Winger Joe Cole also attracted Fabio’s ire for deserting his position although as he scored both of England’s goals this seems a touch harsh.
The England team’s big moment is Wednesday’s match against Croatia, the team that knocked them out of Euro 2008 last year.
Will Capello drop Rooney to the bench?
On form he ought to although he doesn’t have that many alternatives, having chosen to exclude England’s most reliable finisher Michael Owen (actually Owen is England’s only reliable finisher).
But he may surmise that an enraged Rooney coming off the bench will rediscover the fire that made him look a world-class prospect.
Or he might just get himself sent off, of course.
[Image Attribution: Austin Osuide]