Lineker, Shearer, Owen. These three names have led the England line and have been at one time the main striker for the national team. Finding these outstanding players the partner they need up front has not always been straightforward. For Lineker it was Beardsley, for Shearer it was Sheringham and for Owen it was Heskey. With the age differences and the changing of times the England front line has always been a bit problematic and the players have overlapped in squad selections. Nonetheless the names Lineker, Shearer and Owen represent three distinct eras of England centre forward.
In January 2003, the first choice was Michael Owen. Heskey had done well with him upfront, but the feeling was we needed a different approach. At the time James Beattie was a prolific goalscorer and his name was bandied about. There was another name…Wayne Rooney, a gifted young teenage football player who was in as much as any person can be, born to play the beautiful game. By Euro 2004, Rooney was Owen’s strike partner. Since that time Rooney has become the unchallenged number one England striker and as per historical precedent, finding him the right partner has been the problem. If in 2004, it had been said the Heskey would be Rooney’s strike partner in the 2010 World Cup finals, it would be fair to say that most people would not have believed it.
Jermain Defoe chosen to become Rooney’s strike partner for the Slovenia game last Wednesday, is now the third player to play upfront up with him this World Cup. Heskey started twice, Crouch has come on and now Defoe seems to be the starting choice. Certainly the choice of Defoe produces a different focus than the choice of an out and out target man to partner Rooney.
Rooney’s World Cup has been patchy so far. He has not impressed and the objective observer would wonder how he could be compared to Lionel Mess and Christiano Ronaldo as the three most gifted players in the tournament? With a maximum of four games left to play in the 2010 World Cup the stage is set for Rooney to take the spotlight. It is an opportunity he should not miss.
The nation knows Rooney well. We have seen the teenager grow into a man, we have seen the petulant side of his character, we have seen the anger and the frustration and we have seen him sometimes be anonymous for club and country. We also have seen the most naturally gifted football player in the English game, we have seen a player with guts and determination and the courage and panache to score goals of sublime quality. We have seen tireless work rates and wonderful team work in creating goals. Rooney is essentially a fantastic player. The world has not seen it yet in this World Cup.
There is something special about the nation’s relationship with Rooney. It is amazing how much leniency he is treated with, the sending off in World Cup 2006 in Germany against Portugal, saw Sven ask the media not to crucify Rooney, and give him the chance to flourish, as his undoubted talent should be nurtured. There is the occassional display of petulance as displayed when Rooney left the pitch after the dismal 0-0 draw against Algeria however the nation has kept it’s pact with Rooney. He is a popular guy and we have seen him mature as a person. We essentially like him and forgive his faults understanding that perhaps we put too much pressure on him.
Well the time has come for Rooney. He is now twenty four and should be at the height of his footballing abilities. There is no guarantee he will be in the next world cup, and whilst it is not fair to pin the nation’s hopes squarely on the shoulders of Rooney, it is fair to hope that he will produce the performance that we know he is capable of and that the rest of the world can watch in awe.
Well, the stage is set for the Rooney performance. If Wayne can be relaxed, enjoy the experience, be focused on his abilities, maintain a cool head and most importantly realise his natural ability (that does include his name in the same breath as the current world’s best players) and link up with Defoe effectively, we may have stumbled upon the most potent strike force that between them have the qualities of Lineker for poaching goals, the power of Shearer, the guile of Beardsley, the pace of Owen and the thought and composure of Sheringham. Certainly if we are to progress these qualities will be needed. Wayne the stage is set for you, and there is no doubt in my mind that you will put in the performance that will excite the world. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
