Current England team manager expresses his deepest concern about Wayne Rooney's behaviour.
Gareth Southgate has said it was “not intelligent” of Wayne Rooney to go drinking into the early hours of the morning during England’s last get-together.
England’s new manager said the “days were gone” when players drank alcohol to excess after matches and did not prepare properly, and that years of underachievement had shown the national team now needed to create a “culture” of “excellence”. Southgate declared that Rooney’s actions had merely heaped extra pressure on himself.
Southgate’s unveiling, on a four-year contract with no break clause, at Wembley Stadium was understandably dominated by the behaviour of Rooney and – potentially – other England players on time off allotted to them between the recent matches against Scotland and Spain.
Southgate and the Football Association are already conducting a review. “Fundamental to that is how are we going to be physically at our very best to perform at the high level because international and top European football in this day and age, the physical preparation is key,” Southgate said.
There had been suggestions that he might strip Rooney of the captaincy but while the 31-year-old was confirmed in the role there was a clear warning from Southgate that he is facing a battle to remain in the England team. “I don’t think he expects to play in every match for England moving forward. It is important we start to progress some younger players,” he said. “But if he’s playing at his best and if he is able to contribute as he did against Scotland, both in terms of his leadership and his play, then it would be ridiculous for me to dismiss that possibility.”
There has been claim and counterclaim over Rooney’s behaviour at The Grove Hotel – which led to a rebuke from the FA and an apology from the player, which he has since qualified, after he stayed up drinking until 5am. Doubts were raised as to whether he should be included in the squad to face Spain, which he was, even if he was necessarily not due to start. Rooney withdrew through a minor knee injury.
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