ROONEY'S 2007 FOR ENGLAND
If Wayne Rooney had been fit for his country's crucial Group E Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia at Wembley in November, England may well be jetting off to this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Instead we are left thinking what might have been in the latest in a long line of 'ifs' in the 22-year-old forward's international career.
Ever since he burst onto the international scene as England's youngest ever debutant (since surpassed by Theo Walcott) in February 2003, Rooney - such is his ferocious power and jaw-dropping talent - has carried the weight of the expectant nation.
However at major tournaments fate has worked against him. At Euro 2004 in Portugal, when he was just old enough to sip champagne legally, Rooney dragged England to the quarter-finals with four goals in Group B only to suffer a metatarsal injury against the home nation, and England were bundled out on penalties.
Two years later Rooney was recovering from another metatarsal injury when England travelled to the World Cup in Germany. In the last eight against Portugal again, he was rushed back by Sven-Goran Eriksson and forced to play an unusual lone striking role. Clearly unfit, the Manchester United star's frustrations boiled over and he was ejected for a professional foul.
In another injury-blighted year Rooney played just four times for England in 2007. In March he helped the country to a valuable point in Tel Aviv and starred in the 3-0 victory in Andorra.
After a six month injury-induced gap Rooney returned to international duty and scored a sublime volley in a 3-0 win at Wembley over Estonia. Four days later he opened the scoring in Moscow, but England were downed 2-1 after substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko netted a brace. Again injured, Rooney was forced to watch the 3-2 defeat against Croatia from the sidelines.
If Wayne Rooney had been fit for his country's crucial Group E Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia at Wembley in November, England may well be jetting off to this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Instead we are left thinking what might have been in the latest in a long line of 'ifs' in the 22-year-old forward's international career.
Ever since he burst onto the international scene as England's youngest ever debutant (since surpassed by Theo Walcott) in February 2003, Rooney - such is his ferocious power and jaw-dropping talent - has carried the weight of the expectant nation.
However at major tournaments fate has worked against him. At Euro 2004 in Portugal, when he was just old enough to sip champagne legally, Rooney dragged England to the quarter-finals with four goals in Group B only to suffer a metatarsal injury against the home nation, and England were bundled out on penalties.
Two years later Rooney was recovering from another metatarsal injury when England travelled to the World Cup in Germany. In the last eight against Portugal again, he was rushed back by Sven-Goran Eriksson and forced to play an unusual lone striking role. Clearly unfit, the Manchester United star's frustrations boiled over and he was ejected for a professional foul.
In another injury-blighted year Rooney played just four times for England in 2007. In March he helped the country to a valuable point in Tel Aviv and starred in the 3-0 victory in Andorra.
After a six month injury-induced gap Rooney returned to international duty and scored a sublime volley in a 3-0 win at Wembley over Estonia. Four days later he opened the scoring in Moscow, but England were downed 2-1 after substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko netted a brace. Again injured, Rooney was forced to watch the 3-2 defeat against Croatia from the sidelines.
Labels: England, Euro 2008, football, Wayne Rooney
