Punters can use their free bet to back Antonio to mark his first cap with a goal if he features in Slovakia and helps England in their quest to reach the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation. I have scored 53 goals in 115 England appearances and my mind is made up.
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“Realistically I know myself that Russian Federation will be my last opportunity to do anything with England”.
Allardyce had earlier revealed he had hoped to call up Steven N’Zonzi, who has lived in England for six years, but his attempts were thwarted by Federation Internationale de Football Association because the Sevilla midfielder is ineligible after featuring for the France under-21 side. It will be my 15th season playing for England, and in anyone’s terms it’s a long time, so I just felt the time would be right then. Fifteen years is a lot. And I’d be 34 by the next tournament [the 2020 Euros].
But the Manchester United man has declared he knows when he wants to bring down the curtain on his England career, which began with a debut against Australia at Upton Park in 2003. I’ve played a lot of games and enjoyed every minute.
England captain Wayne Rooney has confirmed that the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation will be his last act in global football.
Antonio is the only potential debutant in Sam Allardyce’s first squad for their World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on Sunday.
“It has been very emotional, especially when I found out [I was in the squad]”, he said.
Rooney was appointed captain by Allardyce’s predecessor, Roy Hodgson, in August 2014 after previous skipper Steven Gerrard retired from worldwide football following the World Cup in Brazil.
“People are entitled to their opinions, I understand that”, Rooney said. We have not really spoken about it, but we will in the next couple of days. England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and he did not manage to find the net as they met with disappointment at the World Cups of 2006 and 2010.
His journey is something that deserves to be in this squad and me to have a look at as a potential player going forward, Allardyce said.
Rooney has been playing in his preferred number 10 role at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho and Allardyce has suggested he will deploy his skipper in the same position for England. “I think that will be the right time to finish”. ‘You can’t just forget it (Euro 2016) but it’s a new era for us. “I’m still feeling -capable of doing a good job for England”, Rooney said.
Antonio does not see himself as the emotional type but was nearly moved to tears when two members of West Ham’s backroom staff informed him he had made the cut for Allardyce’s first squad in the aftermath of his goalscoring turn in Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Manchester City. We all want to win and we all want to be successful.
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Allardyce was criticised by some fans while at West Ham for not playing what they called “the West Ham way”.
