Manager Sam Allardyce was questioned about this after the game, but the former Sunderland manager said he was in no position to question a player of Rooney’s caliber and experience.
Advertisement
With Slovakia just seconds away from earning their second goalless draw against England in the space of three months, despite being reduced to 10 men following Martin Skrtel’s 57th minute dismissal, Lallana’s goal helped lift the gloom that had been hanging over the team since the humiliating Euro 2016 defeat against Iceland in June.
But his role has been a hot topic for both club and country, with the 30-year-old forward featuring in a number of positions for Manchester United and England.
“I have no problem playing there”. “He did play a little deeper than I thought he’d play, but I was pleased with his performance”.
Using his experience with a team, and playing as a team member, it’s not for me to say where he’s going to play.
“It’s up to me to ask whether he’s doing well in that position, and contributing”.
The 22-year-old, a part of the much-maligned squad in France this summer, played the full 90 minutes as Allardyce’s side began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a narrow victory in Trnava, courtesy of Adam Lallana’s last-minute victor.
However, his performances for club and country, particularly with England for a number of global tournaments, have flattered to deceive and he has failed to live up to expectations and deliver when necessary.
“Today Wayne played wherever he wanted to”, Allardyce said after his first match in charge.
I think he holds a lot more experience at global football than I do as an worldwide manager. The United captain is England’s record goal scorer with 53 global goals and is also three goals short of overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton to become the Red Devils’ highest ever goal scorer. “Adam scored the goal to get us off to an excellent start (in the campaign)”.
“If you want to be successful, you need to leave everything on the pitch”, he said.
“In the end, we got the ball in the back of the net which was richly deserved based on us dominating the game, but we were not as clinical as I expected us to be”.
“We, as a team, have the character and the enthusiasm”.
Advertisement
A father and son gave the new national team boss the penny in the team hotel on the morning of the match, and Allardyce kept it in his pocket.
