Just read that Rooney's going to return for England in a friendly against the USA... what are people's thoughts? Not a big fan of friendlies myself but think it is a bit daft.
It's a match raising funds for his charity foundation and the last chance for England fans to see him represent his country after turning around the season DC United were having. I don't mind him being picked for a friendly as a last goodbye.
I get that it is for a good cause but still don't think an international should be turned into a glorified testimonial. It is defeating the whole point of friendly matches in the first place.
Can't see a problem with it myself, one of our greatest ever players it's for charity and it's only a friendly.
If he wants a testimonial it should be a club match rather than an international. Especially because he was generally crap for England (except euro 2004)
If its for charity have one of them england vs the world matches they have. England friendlies are cheapend enough as it is. Total joke!!!
Maybe someone will prove me wrong but I'm guessing 99% of his international goals came against the likes of San Marino, Andorra and Slovenia in qualifiers and then a fair amount in friendlies. I still don't think anyone should earn a cap for a country for something like this. If we are having friendlies then they should be to bed in a squad. I'm all for players fundraising outside of internationals though. He's from a talented era of players that did sweet fa for England so I personally don't think he warrants any major fanfare either. Only reason he's scored more goals is because there are more international games when compared to previous eras. Good for club but not good enough for country.
He deserves our thanks for a great career, but like you find it difficult to understand him playing, keeping a young player out, he could have been introduced to the crowd and received their plaudits for his England career.
Its not quite that bad but you make a valid point out of his 53 goals 7 came in finals - you have to count those as valuable and by definition against decent sides 30 came in qualifiers but of those only 7 were against decent sides like Switzerland Poland Croatia and Russia the rest were against lower ranking teams The rest were friendlies so by my reckoning 14 goals out of 53 were against decent sides in games that mattered. so 75% were against the likes of San Marino Andorra Slovinia etc to further turn in the knife though 4 of his goals in finals came in 2004 - his only decent performing big games I think the remaind in finals were a 1 goal in a victory against Ukraine then 1 goal in defeats against Uruguay and Iceland
It's a joke, he has retired and winning an international cap will debase the cap. Let's have Peter Shilton back for a friendly, and let's have Keegan back too and Trevor Brooking. And Gazza.
I blame the cack England managers he played under. I’d have picked him as a striker and told him he would be fined 10k for every minute he spent in our half during a game.
I have returned from being banned for "insensitive trolling" - it was a joke - but I won't go into it or they might do it again. Debase the cap? They don't actually wear them. Other countries have done similar things - Australia are calling Cahill back - Germany let that whatsisname play...the match is meaningless in any case...
Or you could grow up, be a decent human being and not make disgusting comments or "jokes" as you put it about a well thought of club volunteer.
Uou You have never met me. You don’t know me. You are basing your judgment on one comment I made (actually innocently meant though medically misguided) but what a lot of people might have been thinking - it wasn’t a “joke” and it certainly wasn’t disgusting. I hope Mr Croft is making a full recovery although I have not read anything about this. Don’t be so quick to make assumptions and jump on your moral high horse. “insensitive trolling” was the real joke,