Rooney, the sad decline

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By: Manu Tournoux

Rooney, the sad decline

Wayne Rooney may be the top scorer in the history of the England team, but his usefulness is increasingly questionable in the selection. Aligned in the midfield against Malta (2-0), the Mancunian experienced a complicated evening and suffered mockery from supporters and the press.

A few years ago, Wayne Rooney was considered one of the five best strikers in the world. Today, the Mancunian is nothing more than a decent midfielder that his club and national coaches seem to keep more for his leadership than for what he brings sportingly. The British press no longer holds back from criticizing the captain of the Three Lions, author of a mediocre match, to say the least, against Malta (2-0) on Saturday evening.

For the first of Gareth Southgate on the bench after the scandal which pushed Sam Allardyce to resign manu militari, the performance of “Shrek” unfortunately confirmed that his decline was well advanced. Lots of missed passes and balls returned dangerously to the opponent, disorderly and sometimes dangerous pressing, like this tackle on the shin of a Maltese (see the image below) which should have led to a red card in the first half, Rooney gave the impression of discovering the position…

Highlight of the show and main object of mockery, this small bridge suffered against Maltese midfielder Sciberras, a 33-year-old semi-professional player…

English fans, tired of the lack of impact of their former idol, seem almost eager to see him announce his international retirement. Wayne Rooney is only 30 years old, but his 116 caps and 14 years of professional career are really starting to weigh on him. José Mourinho recently explained that despite his player’s desire to continue to play in the midfield, he would probably not repeat the experience and would use him, as for many years in the Premier League, as an attacker. The Portuguese, who has not started Rooney since MU’s last defeat against Watford in mid-September, has decided and understood that the number 10 of the Red Devils would be more useful on the bench than in his starting eleven. It’s only a matter of weeks before Southgate makes the same observation in the national team…

Manu Tournoux

Written by:

Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.