Wayne Rooney: Apology was the least the England skipper could do… he did the same on Three Lions duty last November
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AS APOLOGIES go, it was the very least Wayne Rooney could do.
He owed it to Gareth Southgate, that is for sure — a man he publicly stated should get the job as national team boss.
This is how he supports him. Three sheets to the wind at a wedding reception at the team hotel on Saturday night is not becoming of a modern-day England captain.
Sober, he knows that. Drunk, it appears he could not care less.
That is hardly helping Southgate’s cause.
Perhaps the saddest element is that the more time you spend in Rooney’s company, the more you realise he cherishes his England role.
Perhaps, at the age of 31, he knows it is coming to an end. Adam Lallana’s outstanding performances suggest the Manchester United man might be surplus to requirements.
Sooner than he thinks if he continues to behave in this manner.
By going on an all-night bender he undermined Southgate’s authority.
The fact, as we reveal today, that other England players went out clubbing until 4.30am, does not excuse him. Rooney is the skipper, he is supposed to lead by example.
Faith and trust have been eroded already.
Who is running the show here — the captain or the head coach? It is hard to say now.
England’s record goalscorer kicked sand in Southgate’s face.
Rooney, top dog around the England camps, needs another sharp reminder.
He has embarrassed Southgate, taking advantage of a free night in between internationals to hit the bar. By the time he got red wine teeth, Rooney knew he was a non-starter against Spain.
His work on the field had been done against Scotland on Friday night when England cuffed the Tartan Army 3-0 at Wembley.
Off the field, Southgate was relying on him to play the captain’s role over the weekend.
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Instead he went off the rails and got on the toot.
It was old school, the kind of situation England are desperately trying to move away from.
Refuelling habits, as Graham Taylor memorably referred to the boozing exploits of England’s players in the early 90s, are back on the agenda.
Nobody begrudges the England skipper having a quiet beer with a couple of team-mates on a night off. The issue is the quantity, the obvious excesses after accepting an invitation to party through the night at a wedding taking place at England’s Hertfordshire hotel.
As ever, nobody stopped him. Nobody, certainly nobody at the FA, would dare to even try.
Members of the FA backroom team were with him. Again, not a word from them.
Sadly, this latest boozy escapade is not a one-off for Wazza.
In Alicante last November, after England were beaten by Spain, the captain went on an almighty bender with some of his team-mates.
It was no ordinary night.
Roy Hodgson did not like his players to drink, but drink they did. They had another game, against France four days later, but that was the last thing on their minds as they tucked into the booze.
These stories are all hidden away, buried with the rest of the skeletons that haunt the national side.
It was only a few weeks ago when Rooney talked about leading by example after Southgate dropped him for the World Cup tie in Slovenia.
Rooney took control of the story, pulling the wool over our eyes once again by talking frankly and openly about the decision.
Southgate, naturally, had reservations. Even so, Rooney won the day.
The captain, 119 caps into his England career, is a dab hand with the media.
Rooney said he would never turn his back on his country. He would always report for England duty. He would never let the nation down.
All the things we wanted to hear, Rooney said them all.
Everyone fell for it. Even Southgate.
He has spoken glowingly about Rooney’s leadership qualities, the positive effect that he has around England’s players.
This is yet another distraction from the work on the pitch.
The pressures of fame and fortune can affect even the most sensible, career-minded soul.
Bobby Moore and Bryan Robson, two of England’s finest captains, knew how to get stuck in on a Saturday night.
The difference now is the demands, the search for the ultimate professional. Southgate himself is obsessed with peak performance.
Any sports scientist will confirm that boozy sessions into the early hours of the morning will wreck even the finest physical specimen.
A 5am finish, when he was scheduled to train that afternoon, is no way for any player to prepare.
Certainly not for the country’s record goalscorer. Or for the man who is closing in on Peter Shilton’s mark of 125 appearances.
Rooney is most definitely in the last chance saloon.