Wayne Rooney stands on the verge of making history Photo: REUTERS
Wayne Rooney stands on the brink of becoming England’s all-time record goal-scorer but, he knows, even then the debate will continue.
The 29-year-old can beat Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49 goals for England should he, as is highly possible, score twice against San Marino, the Group E whipping boys of this Euro 2016 qualification campaign here in the foothills of the Appenine Mountains on Saturday evening.
Although it is a great record to take, an incredible height to hit, Rooney knows that many believe he is not – and will never be - among the greats. “It's the same,” the England captain says. “Up to a couple of years ago, people were saying Messi wasn't Maradona because he hadn't won the World Cup.
“In my mind, Messi is a better player than Maradona. But that's how football is. It's about trophies you win. As a team, that's how you're judged. Sir Bobby did that (won the World Cup). Hopefully there's still time for me to be successful like that.”
Whether Rooney can compare himself to Lionel Messi – it was a comparison that felt genuine when he burst on the scene a decade ago – is a moot point. As is whether, with him turning 30 in October, Rooney will remain in the England team for the 2018 World Cup.
But he should be able to lead his country into next summer’s Euros in France, with the European Championships the competition, in 2004, in which he so elementally burst onto the world stage.
San Marino say they will not focus solely on Rooney
Understandably Rooney was asked to work through his memories of his first goal for England, 12 years ago this weekend, becoming the country’s youngest-ever goal-scorer when he struck in the 3-1 away win against Macedonia in a qualifier for those finals.
“I remember the keeper should probably have saved it,” Rooney says, self-deprecatingly. “A longish ball (from David Beckham) in to Emile Heskey, he's nodded it down to me on the edge of the box, and the keeper should have saved it. It's gone in, luckily.”
If Petar Milosevski had made the save that day then it would surely only have delayed, a little longer, the inevitability of Rooney taking Charlton’s record. It will be relief.
“It keeps coming up,” Rooney says. “It'll be nice to finally do it and put it to the back of my mind. In terms of how I've changed, in nearly 13 years, you change in terms of how you play. The position I play in the team... in the last three years I've been more as a striker, where I was more of a Number 10 (before). It's a slightly different role. There have been changes.”
Understandably Rooney was asked to work through his memories of his first goal for England, 12 years ago this weekend, becoming the country’s youngest-ever goal-scorer when he struck in the 3-1 away win against Macedonia in a qualifier for those finals.
“I remember the keeper should probably have saved it,” Rooney says, self-deprecatingly. “A longish ball (from David Beckham) in to Emile Heskey, he's nodded it down to me on the edge of the box, and the keeper should have saved it. It's gone in, luckily.”
If Petar Milosevski had made the save that day then it would surely only have delayed, a little longer, the inevitability of Rooney taking Charlton’s record. It will be relief.
“It keeps coming up,” Rooney says. “It'll be nice to finally do it and put it to the back of my mind. In terms of how I've changed, in nearly 13 years, you change in terms of how you play. The position I play in the team... in the last three years I've been more as a striker, where I was more of a Number 10 (before). It's a slightly different role. There have been changes.”
Rooney burst onto the scene as a precocious teenager with Everton
Many changes. Rooney has also been deployed in midfield for his club, Manchester United, and there is a theory, as he struggles for form, that he may simply have forgotten how to play centre-forward.
But with Harry Kane struggling for goals and with Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck injured and Saido Berahino, Charlie Austin and Rickie Lambert overlooked then yet again the burden and the attention, the focus and the expectation, for England falls on Wayne Mark Rooney as it has done ever since he made his mark. His country remains reliant on him.
Many changes. Rooney has also been deployed in midfield for his club, Manchester United, and there is a theory, as he struggles for form, that he may simply have forgotten how to play centre-forward.
But with Harry Kane struggling for goals and with Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck injured and Saido Berahino, Charlie Austin and Rickie Lambert overlooked then yet again the burden and the attention, the focus and the expectation, for England falls on Wayne Mark Rooney as it has done ever since he made his mark. His country remains reliant on him.
“I didn't feel I was carrying the expectations,” Rooney counters. “Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, David Beckham... world-class players. I didn't feel, going into a tournament, I've got to win it for England. We had a good team. In 2004 and 2006, we were unlucky not to progress into the latter rounds.”
Nevertheless Rooney is the last man standing because he was the youngest of that generation and because he came through on his own. Indeed it was pointed out to him that of his England under-21 generation only he and James Milner really made it – and Rooney had gained a remarkable 52 caps before Milner secured his debut.
Harry Kane's struggles add to the pressure on Rooney
“I'm confident and it was quite easy for me to be in the youth and under-21s and into the senior team,” he says. “The first few games I was quite nervous, but having the likes of Steven Gerrard in the squad, and moving to United at 18... it's made it a lot easier for me. It wasn't particularly difficult for me to do that.”
But it has been difficult of late. Rooney sits on the edge of this record but he has struggled for goals for United – none in 10 Premier League matches – and while he claims the criticism he has faced has been “overboard” there is an acknowledgement of “frustration”.
“As a striker, you want to score goals,” he says. “That's quite obvious. Because of my past, I'm a team player. Sometimes you want to score but you're not going to in some games. It's not happened in the league this season. Hopefully after these games I'll start scoring again. Six or seven years ago I'd have been frustrated. Now I know the chances and goals will come.”
And even if the goals do come against San Marino, and that record is taken, the debate will continue. Does Rooney, himself, believe he deserves more “respect”?
“It's not something I'm too fussed about,” he says. “As long as my managers, my team-mates understand and respect the job I do for them, the day they turn round and say they don't is the day it'll bother me. In terms of what other people think it doesn't really concern me.”
“I'm confident and it was quite easy for me to be in the youth and under-21s and into the senior team,” he says. “The first few games I was quite nervous, but having the likes of Steven Gerrard in the squad, and moving to United at 18... it's made it a lot easier for me. It wasn't particularly difficult for me to do that.”
But it has been difficult of late. Rooney sits on the edge of this record but he has struggled for goals for United – none in 10 Premier League matches – and while he claims the criticism he has faced has been “overboard” there is an acknowledgement of “frustration”.
“As a striker, you want to score goals,” he says. “That's quite obvious. Because of my past, I'm a team player. Sometimes you want to score but you're not going to in some games. It's not happened in the league this season. Hopefully after these games I'll start scoring again. Six or seven years ago I'd have been frustrated. Now I know the chances and goals will come.”
And even if the goals do come against San Marino, and that record is taken, the debate will continue. Does Rooney, himself, believe he deserves more “respect”?
“It's not something I'm too fussed about,” he says. “As long as my managers, my team-mates understand and respect the job I do for them, the day they turn round and say they don't is the day it'll bother me. In terms of what other people think it doesn't really concern me.”
Rooney is without a Premier League goal for 10 matches
When that record does go the tributes will flow – including one recorded by the Football Association from Charlton, who Rooney is close to and respects greatly, not least because of the bond they share for club and country.
“I speak to Sir Bobby quite a lot,” Rooney says. “He's at all our games. He's someone who is a hero and a legend for both club and country. But we've not spoken about his records.”
The question remains as to whether that “hero and legend” status will ever be conferred on Rooney.
Three memorable Rooney goals for England
1: England 2, Denmark 3 (Oct 11, 2003).
Racing from the halfway line past two markers, Rooney finished with a 20-yard sizzler that flew in off the underside of the crossbar.
2: England 3, Argentina 2 (Nov 12, 2005).
Crowned a starring performance when he supplied the perfect finish to David Beckham's flick.
3: Brazil 2, England 2 (June 2, 2013).
Powered through the Brazil half to strike a 25-yarder in the top corner of the net.
When that record does go the tributes will flow – including one recorded by the Football Association from Charlton, who Rooney is close to and respects greatly, not least because of the bond they share for club and country.
“I speak to Sir Bobby quite a lot,” Rooney says. “He's at all our games. He's someone who is a hero and a legend for both club and country. But we've not spoken about his records.”
The question remains as to whether that “hero and legend” status will ever be conferred on Rooney.
Three memorable Rooney goals for England
1: England 2, Denmark 3 (Oct 11, 2003).
Racing from the halfway line past two markers, Rooney finished with a 20-yard sizzler that flew in off the underside of the crossbar.
2: England 3, Argentina 2 (Nov 12, 2005).
Crowned a starring performance when he supplied the perfect finish to David Beckham's flick.
3: Brazil 2, England 2 (June 2, 2013).
Powered through the Brazil half to strike a 25-yarder in the top corner of the net.
The telegraph
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