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Will Wayne Rooney inevitably go down as Englands greatest ever player??

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Will Wayne Rooney inevitably go down as Englands greatest ever player??

Right, I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for starting this because its oh no another Rooney thread, but the reason why I'm starting this in particular is because I'm just thinking of the legacy Wayne Rooney will have when he retires from England duty, and it maybe a rather significant one.

At the moment, baring any long term injury, he is on the verge of breaking BOTH Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record (needs 9 more) and Peter Shilton's number of caps record (needs 29 more).

So that means by the time he retires he's going to hold both the most caps record and goalscoring record for England. Pretty damn good if you ask me given all the players England have had throughout their history. That alone surely must at least put him in the top 10, and probably in the top 5. Whether you like Rooney or not he is going own both those records within a few years so he has to be put into the equation now.

However, as we know he's not without his faults, scoring only 1 goal in 3 World Cups (Gary Lineker scored 10 goals in 2 World Cups, including a golden boot, which seems remarkable given Englands recent lacklustre achievements).

But like I say, I think this conversation needs to be had because he is going to hold both those proud records and most of my generation (those under 30, the "SKY" generation) will say he is the greatest England player I assume.

Will Wayne Rooney in time inevitably go down as England's all time greatest player?

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His head will go down as England's greatest ever potato.
Obviously not. Being the top scorer of a country does not make you the best player.

No-one would claim Klose, Villa, Batistuta, Henry and Van Persie were their country's best players.

Rooney has done ****-all for England when it has mattered most.
He will go down as one of England's best players, because since the 80s/90s, England have not produced enough quality players. I would have rated Scholes higher, but he was undervalued in the England team.
Rooney is a good player but the only reason he'll break those records is due to his longevity, just like Ryan Giggs who's set countless numbers of records that will never be broken. Giggs may have won the most titles, made the most appearances, scored in the highest number of seasons etc but he was never the best player at Manchester United, and you can apply the same logic here.

Rooney hasn't done much for England, but who has? The likes of Gerrard, Cole, Ferdinand, Terry, Lampard & Scholes have had outstanding club careers but did **** all for their country. Most people from our generation (born late 80s/early 90s) would probably say Beckham rather than Rooney.
Reply 6
No Beckham is lol
Biggest waste of potential maybe. I don't care about his stats I care about his performances and the only time he really justified his hype was Euro 2004. Watching him then and comparing to now it's like a different player.



Just unreal. The energy, tenacity and gung ho approach to his play :cool:. Bullying fully grown men at 18.

2010, 2012 and 2014 he was piss poor at a time he should have been at his peak. He let us down big time, particularly the first two. 2006 he was unlucky with the injuries and then the card so can't blame him there (unless you blame him for the card).

Even in my lifetime players like Shearer, Owen and Beckham turned up and pulled us out the **** when it mattered. Rooney has never done that. Don't get me started on the greats of the past.

As sr90 said being a great servant doesn't make you the best player.
Reply 8


Beat me to it.
He has done bugger all for England of any significance.
No. He's been a good servant, but that doesn't make a good player - as it is, he's not fulfilled the potential we saw 10 years ago, and while his goal-scoring record is good, he's not done it when it's actually mattered - he's more a flat-track bully than a great scorer for England. He should go down as a false hope rather than Englands best player.
What was Rooney's last great game for England? 5-1 at Wembley vs Croatia, five years ago?
He's good, but he's no David Bentley.
Reply 13
I can't see him ever being better than the likes of Moore, Charlton, Gascoigne, Lineker, Banks etc regardless of how many goals he might score...
Reply 14
Original post by Wilfred Little
Biggest waste of potential maybe. I don't care about his stats I care about his performances and the only time he really justified his hype was Euro 2004. Watching him then and comparing to now it's like a different player.


All I see him doing for most of that video is him overrunning the ball, making poor touches but using his energy to try and win the ball back. He's increased his technical ability immensely today but he's no longer as fast to break through defences, Rooney in 2009-10 was the world class Rooney.
Original post by jam278
All I see him doing for most of that video is him overrunning the ball, making poor touches but using his energy to try and win the ball back. He's increased his technical ability immensely today but he's no longer as fast to break through defences, Rooney in 2009-10 was the world class Rooney.


He does lose it a few times but he still does that now. To be fair that was arguably his worst game, but you don't see him take defences on or try to beat a man any more. He does it loads of times there. Rooney could be the worst player in the world but it doesn't change the fact he was unreal at Euro 2004, he did more then than in all of his other tournaments put together. His poor physical condition these days is his own making.

Rooney has never been world class btw.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Wilfred Little
He does lose it a few times but he still does that now. To be fair that was arguably his worst game, but you don't see him take defences on or try to beat a man any more. He does it loads of times there. Rooney could be the worst player in the world but it doesn't change the fact he was unreal at Euro 2004, he did more then than in all of his other tournaments put together. His poor physical condition these days is his own making.

Rooney has never been world class btw.


Rooney has been world class for a good period of his career. His goal scoring record in the best league in the world speaks for its self.
Original post by Sharpshooter

Will Wayne Rooney in time inevitably go down as England's all time greatest player?


No. He will be forgotten the moment his england career ends




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Original post by Wilfred Little

Rooney has never been world class btw.


Is there any other player that has come top 5 in the Ballon D'or but people still deny they were world class?

Same question for twice scoring 25+ goals and being voted best player in the league over a season?
Original post by CRW1996
Rooney has been world class for a good period of his career. His goal scoring record in the best league in the world speaks for its self.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Rooney#Career_statistics

Does it? Only really 09/10 and 11/12 you could say he reached the level of goalscoring you'd expect from a world class striker. 20+ 4 times in 12 seasons. You're killing me.

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