Gareth Southgate is set to drop Wayne Rooney from the England team for today’s World Cup 2018 qualifier against Slovenia in Ljubljana and increase uncertainty over the captain’s future role in the national side.
Rooney’s place has been under scrutiny since England’s woeful departure from Euro 2016 but he started in midfield for Sam Allardyce in England’s opening qualifier against Slovakia, which they won 1-0, and played against Malta on Saturday night in a routine 2-0 victory at Wembley under Southgate.
But the interim manager is expected to bring Eric Dier into the side in Rooney’s place in Southgate’s first major test since being handed the reigns following Allardyce’s sudden departure last month. On Sunday, Southgate talked up Rooney’s influence inside the dressing room and stressed the positives in the 30-year-old’s contribution against Malta.
But he also made clear that he would have the courage to drop Rooney, in the context of the forward’s recent troubles at Manchester United where Jose Mourinho has not started him in any of the past three games.
“I’ve got to make decisions which are right for the team and, whenever you select a team for England, you’re going to leave out some players,” Southgate said. “You look at the bench [against Malta] and there are guys who are playing every week in the Premier League, so you have to be prepared to do that (make tough decisions). That’s part and parcel of the job.”
The Slovenia manager, Srecko Katanec, said yesterday that he would not be surprised if Rooney is dropped as “he is not the youngest any more and his form has taken a little dip”.
“Wayne Rooney is a leader of this team, he has the experience a captain needs and it is quite hard to substitute him or leave him out. But it is also true that he is not the youngest any more and maybe his form has taken a little dip.”
Rooney’s future both as a starter and captain for his country now looks uncertain. Despite that, the former Sampdoria player did suggest that leaving Rooney on the sidelines could be beneficial to the hosts.
“Because of his experience and quality I would rather he would not start than he does start,” he added.
Slovenia, who lost twice to England in Euro 2016 qualifying, go into the game on the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Slovakia. But Katanec wants his men to approach the game in measured fashion. “I warned the guys against too much euphoria after the Slovakia result,” he continued.
“You cannot compare the two teams; England has a lot more quality in every way. The team functions very well and we expect a tough match in every aspect. England have very quick players and very fast in transition from defence to attack. But we don’t need to be afraid of the game or afraid to lose. The guys are unburdened.”
Hart ready for tough clash in Slovenia
Meanwhile. England goalkeeper Joe Hart expects Slovenia to push the side hard when the teams meet in Ljubljana today. Victories over Slovakia and Malta have propelled England to the top of Group F.
But Hart is taking nothing for granted given Slovenia were the only side to score against him during England’s largely untroubled run in qualifying for Euro 2016.
England’s 3-1 comeback win was followed by a 3-2 success in Slovenia and Hart said yesterday: “It was probably our toughest two games of the group, especially at Wembley. They took the lead and it took us a while to get back into it. It was one of those tough internationals.”
Hart, on loan to Italian side Torino from Premiership club Manchester City, added: “I think we then played them in mid-June and Jack (Wilshere) had an amazing game and scored two fantastic goals. We ended up really needing Wazza’s (Wayne Rooney) cool, calm head to stick the ball away.
“It was a really good win for us and a really good game. We expect the same sort of game on Tuesday night. I played against one of their players last Sunday for Fiorentina, Josip Ilicic. He is a strong player with a good left foot. They have got some good players and they work well as a group. They have got a fantastic keeper so they are going to be good.”