Former England stars Alan Shearer and Chris Waddle have both said on radio that they think Wayne Rooney can maintain his form on the run-up to the World Cup starting in June. Rooney's tremendous run of form this season currently has no signs of abating but there is a long way to go and even if he can physically withstand the next few months it is a big question mark that he will cope with all the mental pressure that the run-in of the Premier League and Champions League will bring.
Shearer and Waddle both said that Rooney's inherent love of the game will stop him from going stale and will see him through. What worries me though is that up to this point of the season the pressure on Rooney has not been too great but it is about to gather momentum. On Sunday we have the Carling Cup, next Wednesday an international friendly with Egypt, the Premier League matches include Liverpool (home), Chelsea (home), Manchester City (away) and Tottenham before the end of the season and then there is the small matter of the Champions League and World Cup. It will come thick and fast and media attention on the likes of Rooney will be relentless.
There is absolutely no doubt that Rooney is currently at his peak. He has scored 23 Premier League goals so far this season plus another 10 in other matches for Manchester United and England. The Premier League total is already way above the 16, which was his previous best tally in the 05/06 season. What's even more impressive though is that his form since the end of November is phenomenal having averaged a goal a match, 19 goals from the last 19 games.
So, why the improvement in form? Rooney has always been strong and powerful on the ball. He has always had the ability to pass, shoot from distance and work passionately and unselfishly for his team. The player will have been helped by being free from injury for just over a year now. As a sportsman he has reached physical maturity and this together with his fitness is making a difference.
What is probably even more important though is the mental impact that Christiano Ronaldo falling out of the limelight at Manchester United, with his transfer to Real Madrid at the beginning of the season has had. Ever since Rooney joined the Red Devils in September 2004 he has had to work under Ronaldo's shadow. The uniqueness of Rooney's genius was somehow always compromised and never allowed to blossom while Ronaldo remained. It is only now given more freedom in a central role by Alex Ferguson that he is showing the unfettered natural talent that he had when he burst onto the football scene with a stunning goal for Everton against Arsenal at the age of 16.
So what are England's chances of benefiting from Rooney's purple patch? Can we expect him to maintain his mental composure and discipline over the next few months in what promises to be the most gruelling of periods for the young man? You have to remember that we are talking of someone who grew up in the mean streets of Croxteth. This is a person who has shown his impetuosity in key games when pressure has been applied; a sending off for sarcastically clapping the referee, another red card when throwing the ball away when a free kick against him was awarded and probably worst of all a dismissal in the quarter finals of the 2006 World Cup against Portugal when stamping on Ricardo Carvalho. This is also someone who admitted to visiting prostitutes when he was only 18 years of age.
Is this someone then who the nation can pin their hopes on? We hope that he has turned over a new leaf since he married his teenage sweetheart Coleen McLoughlin in June 2008 and they had the birth of a son Kai Wayne in November 2009. The latter seems to coincide with Rooney's current resurgence and it is to be hoped that the happiness in his personal life is also have a positive effect.
The other big question is will England manager Fabio Capello be able to get the best out of Rooney like Ferguson seems to be doing? We will wait and hope that the form of the transformed and rejuvenated striker continues. If it does there is just a chance that England will do the unthinkable. Rooney brings to England something very special, something world class and something that personifies the best fighting spirit of this football-loving nation. At the same time there is a huge question mark and we just hope it wont be shame rather than fame.
Bob Roper is a 55-year-old accountant. Amongst his many interests Bob enjoys watching football, horse racing and listening to music.
No comments:
Post a Comment