England captain Wayne Rooney hits out at ex-boss Sam Allardyce and disputes he was given free reign
Skipper revealed there has been no contact between the two after another shambolic chapter in English football
WAYNE ROONEY feels he was stitched up by Sam Allardyce.
While some team-mates have been in contact with the disgraced former boss, Three Lions captain Rooney revealed there has been no contact between the two after another shambolic chapter in English football.
Rooney will play for his sixth international manager against Malta on Saturday.
And while he is keen to look forward, there is no escaping that he suffered major damage in the aftermath of Allardyce’s only game as England manager.
After an unimpressive 1-0 win in Slovakia, Allardyce claimed: “Wayne played wherever he wanted.”
It gave Rooney’s growing army of critics even more ammunition to lob in his direction.
Life has got no better at Old Trafford, either, with Rooney, 30, having been dropped by Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho for the last three games.
Although as he spoke honestly and openly at St George’s Park yesterday, Rooney conceded he was right to be axed by Mourinho after a stinker at Watford.
Against both Malta this weekend and Slovenia next Tuesday, Rooney could again be deployed in midfield by interim England chief Gareth Southgate — a decision which saw Roy Hodgson face criticism at Euro 2016.Asked about Allardyce’s comments post-Slovakia which made Rooney look particularly arrogant, he said: “It was a bit of misunderstanding after the last game, when Sam came out and said I play where I want. “I played exactly to instructions, what was asked of me, that role.
“I didn’t come in and say ‘I want to play here or there’, I played where I was asked to play.
“Sam knew he made a mistake. He said that to me on the plane home. That’s part of being involved at this level. He understood that quite early — unfortunately he doesn’t have the chance to rectify that now.
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“That was a big misunderstanding that I seemed to get slaughtered for. But again that’s something I have to deal with and I’m sure Gareth will have his opinions where I should play or if I play.
“I’m sure he will have his thoughts on that and I will find out in the next few days.
“I don’t pick myself. I haven’t picked myself — ever — and I will play to instructions.
“I got battered in many different ways for my performance against Slovakia, which I felt was actually a decent performance.
“I suffered from that but I thought Sam’s change in putting Dele Alli on allowed us to win the game, with me and Eric Dier controlling it and winning the second balls, getting balls into dangerous areas. All the players were sad to see Sam go. Everyone could see how much he wanted the England manager’s job and finally got it.
“What happened has happened. I’m sure he is disappointed with himself. The FA had a decision to make which they made.
“I’m sure he’s gutted. He’s let a big opportunity for himself slip. I am sure he regrets it.”
Just two weeks after the win in Slovakia worse was to come for Rooney in that awful performance in United’s 3-1 loss at Watford.
He said: “I felt I started the season okay. Again I had a bad game, certainly a very bad second half against Watford.
“I speak to people after games about my performance. My dad and my agent. They know me as a person and as a player and they’re honest. I didn’t need to be told after the Watford game.
“I played badly, I know that and understand that.
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“If Mourinho was picking the next team on the back of that, I understand not playing.
“The team have done well since then, certainly in the Leicester game. I understand I have to work hard and try to get back and take my chance.
“I am not a player who wants people to say how good he is.
“That’s not me. As long as people around me and my manager are happy, I’m happy. I speak to the manager but I don’t think it's the time for me to be doing that. I’ve always put the team as more important.
“The team are doing well at the minute so I have to bide my time and wait for my chance.”
Rooney reported with the rest of the England squad yesterday but met new boss Southgate face-to-face last Friday.
He added: “The one thing I’m excited about is he’s a young English manager who wants to do well for England.
“We’ve seen that with the Under-21s over the last few years and it’s a big opportunity for him now. We have to try to win for him.
“If the results go well I’m sure he will be in a position where the FA will sit down with him, if that’s what he wants. It’s a big four games for him.”
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