Question marks over his place in the team also appear to have been answered by Allardyce’s decision and Rooney, preparing for Sunday’s opening 2018 World Cup qualifier in Slovakia, says Russian Federation 2018 is likely to be his last chance to win a major global competition.
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Rooney, 30, has led his country since August 2014 and is England’s record goalscorer having netted 53 in 115 worldwide appearances.
Now we’ll see if Rooney gets to make it through the 2018 World Cup.
Here, Press Association Sport’s Tom White reviews Rooney’s global career in numbers. I’ve said to United I want to stay, finish my career there, so it’s a case of sitting down with United when the time’s right. But at some point it’s going to come to an end, whether that’s [in] two years’ [or] four years’ time.
“I have had a fantastic worldwide career so far, played a lot of games and enjoyed every minute, but at some point it is going to come to an end”, Rooney said.
Realism has replaced expectation with Rooney, 13 years and six unsuccessful major tournaments – plus a failure to qualify for Euro 2008 – since he made his debut as a teenager against Australia. “So, 15 years in global football is a lot”.
“I started playing worldwide football at 17, so at 32, in two years time, I will have been playing at that level for 15 years and I think that is a good time to finish”.
And the Manchester United forward, who played as a deeper-lying midfielder at Euro 2016, told a news conference that he would retire from global football at the age of 34.
Rooney said: “It will be a proud moment”.
“It was disappointing the way we went out of the tournament”. It’s a huge honour for me.
“Then I said to myself “become an international”.
“I’m pleased the manager has come in, put me in the squad and given me the opportunity as captain”.
“I like an on-and-off-the-field captain if there is one, but if there isn’t one then being an on-the-field captain is the main basis”, he said.
Allardyce suggested that, rather than seeing Rooney in competition with Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge for the centre-forward’s spot, he regards the United player primarily as a No. 10, playing behind the striker.
And now he is looking forward to working with the new man at the helm.
“Obviously I have seen players who have retired from worldwide football for the sake of two or three days off in the week”. “It’s just a matter of us doing well in a tournament”.
Rooney continued: “It’s always exciting when you get a new manager”.
‘We have to (move on),’ he said.
“Maybe sometimes we have to dig one out here and there – let’s be resilient and tough”.
“It’s something that hopefully we can find out why it’s happening and try to avoid it happening again”. “I hope every decision I make is questioned on the form of the player at the time”.
Allardyce was criticised by some fans while at West Ham for not playing what they called “the West Ham way”.
“It’s about winning and entertaining – particularly at Wembley, entertaining the fans is very, very important”, he said. Antonio moved to West Ham past year and has impressed as a right-sided midfielder, especially in the air.
“He’s started the season well”.
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“I think he (Rooney) has enjoyed the responsibility”.
