Wayne Rooney in focus: The class still flickers and an England recall beckons

Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney opened the scoring in Everton's 1-1 draw at Man City Credit: Getty Images

Rooney revisionism under way

Wayne Rooney has reached a point in his career where every goal now seems attached to a milestone. He scored the 200th of his Premier League career here – a feat only Alan Shearer has matched and surpassed. This was supposed to be the type of game to now pass Rooney by. At 31, he must be one of the youngest England captains to be considered in the twilight years of his career. His second Premier League debut for Everton last weekend hinted such declarations premature, and the way his influence grew in hostile territory – a far more serious examination of his durability – suggests there will be serious revisionism afoot from those who considered Rooney on the wane.

This is certainly a different Rooney to the dynamic youth. There is more consideration in each pass, but it should not be mistaken for the hesitancy or sluggishness that defined some of his latter appearances for United. Here, he saw the game in more depth than many around him, and was able to drift deep and find the spaces in a manner that would have had his opponent David Silva nodding in approval.

It is always a sign of class in a player when he seems to have more time in possession. Rooney still has this quality. His first touch is still impeccable, he picks the right passes and he is tactically flexible. His positional sense must be the subject of Koeman’s tutorials when showing younger players what he expects. If the absent Ross Barkley had just an ounce of Rooney’s football intelligence he would be a world beater.

Better to be hated than ignored

Rooney may not be wearing the captain’s armband, but there is no doubt the on-field leadership is a joint operation alongside skipper Phil Jagielka.

Only six minutes had passed when Manchester City’s supporters issued a reminder of Rooney’s past, as the Everton player issued directives into the ear of referee Bobby Madley when Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin were penalised for early fouls. The derogatory chant is unprintable, yet perversely it must have felt quite satisfying to the former Manchester United striker. Despite premonitions of his imminent demise since leaving Old Trafford, he has not yet reached the stage where opponents are prepared to ignore him. Only then will he start to worry about being an irrelevance on enemy ground.

Wayne Rooney
Pep Guardiola embraces Wayne Rooney at the full-time whistle Credit: Getty Images

The boos shadowed Rooney as much as City’s defenders from then on. This was always going to be one of the tougher examinations for Rooney and the new look Everton side. He began on the left of a forward three alongside youngsters Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tom Davies, but drifted inwards in search of possession. The more he was involved, the more Everton’s confidence grew. When Calvert-Lewin found space beyond City’s defence, Rooney had the capacity to deliver the correct weight of pass. When the youngster needed support, it was Rooney in position to provide the finish.

England recall justified

Gareth Southgate and Jose Mourinho were in attendance. While Mourinho will feel United and Rooney had to move on as they explored alternative options, Southgate has no such luxury. He must calculate if there are really 22 English players who can contribute more in a World Cup year. Would the recall of Rooney truly be considered a retrograde step, or can he be redefined at international level to be a guiding influence on and off the field? When re-signing for Everton, Rooney made his intentions clear.

“I was not playing the football that I like and I don’t think you should play for your country if you are not playing for your club. So I understood Gareth’s decision fully,” Rooney admitted.

“He told me that if I get back playing every week then the door is still open to get back into the squad. It would be great if I could do that. If I do well here, I’m sure he will have a decision to make.”

On the evidence of the first few appearances that decision has come quicker than Southgate or even Rooney might have expected. He may not represent England’s future, but classy cameos could certainly assist in the present. There will be those who will argue two games into a Premier League season is too soon, while others will point to the 119 caps and 53 goals as the most compelling supporting evidence that the Wayne-naissance can last.

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