He consistently is one the highest English goal scorers in the EPL. He scored 17 league goals is a gash Man U team last season.
He scored the most in qualifiers.
He can change a game because he is a great finisher.

Previous tournaments he has been injured, banned, or unfit. Roy has tried to work on this over the last month. I think he has played more minutes than any other England player in the last few friendlies to keep him/get him fit. His physique is such that if he isn’t training he isn’t at the top of his game, and the WC comes a few weeks (beers, tabs) later.

I would play him as his scoring record demands it.

To be honest first team wise I worry more about the likes of Wellbeck and Johnson, they're not up to the levels traditionally you would hope for.

Agreed about Johnson, he is our weakest link.

Thankfully Tom Cleverly seems to be out of the picture at the moment

Are you joking? No passion?

I don't think I have seen many players who give as much as he does on the pitch. he is close to being both united and England's all time top scorers. Surely you can see why he might be considered for a place in the team?

Who has had a good tournament for a while? It not like he misses chance after chance. England have been gash at those tournaments, you can't just single out Rooney.

I can understand you having the opinion he should be dropped but to suggest he lacks passion seems particularly over the top.

Do you know what RAE, I've question his effort in the England team before on a few occasions but give him a little benefit of the doubt regarding injury recovery. The trouble is, he's only just recovering from an injury over the last few weeks

I agree with Strett on this one although I would consider dropping him because I think trying to fit him and Sturridge into a 4-2-3-1 formation doesn't work. Sturridge has to play centrally and for Liverpool he has Suarez who is so dynamic alongside him. Rooney's best position is probably the no.9 but it doesn't make sense to move Sturridge so Rooney has to either play left (which is a waste) or in the no.10 role, which might suit someone like Llalana or Sterling better. I suggest we go with him for the first two games and it it's not working then consider playing Barkley or Sterling behind Sturridge.

Only the English would castigate their best player before he's even kicked a ball.

Rev isn't English Hector, he is omnipotent and a gift from God

We play Rooney because he's our best player. Simples.

Not for England he isn't.

Yes he is. Who's better? It would be a bit silly to drop our top scorer from the qualifiers. Who was also the 5th highest scorer in the European qualifiers altogether. And the only England player to score more than four in the qualifiers. But yeah, let's drop him.

Yes he is. Who's better?

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Anyone who is willing to put on the shirt and will play their hearts out for the team. Can you truly say that Rooney does that for England, as I certainly think he does not?

Also I know everyone says look at qualifiers, but in the tournaments he is dire and that is where it counts. He has never even scored in a world cup. Even though people say oh he has had injuries e.t.c, he has never really been the same talent as he was back in 2004. Since then he has just been on a gradual decline with his ability on the pitch but also his mindset towards the game as well.

in the tournaments he is dire and that is where it counts. He has never even scored in a World Cup.
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Neither has messi.

You're judgement with Rooney is about as good as your judgement with Billy Davies.

How can you write him off for the tournament before we've even played? The last time he played in a tournament was two years ago and he's done well since then.

I think Rooney will look back on his England career and be disappointed he didn't do more but he does represent our best chance of getting out of the group still. The likes of Barkley may overtake him by the time of the next Euros.

Whats the best system to fit him and the other players in?

comment by Andy The Red (U19077)
posted 1 hour, 22 minutes ago
in the tournaments he is dire and that is where it counts. He has never even scored in a World Cup.
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Neither has messi.

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Ronaldo only has 2

So you seriously all think when Rooney plays for England, he gives it his all every game and is by far our best player on the pitch (that means playing for England on the pitch, not Man U)?

"He doesn't want to be there"...when did he say that?

I don't believe any player doesn't want for their country. Everyone is subject to the twin fates of form and fitness. I suspect the fact that Rooney more often than not hasn't always been 100% fit when he has appeared in tournaments for England will always count against him. This is his last chance at a World Cup probably do you would hope he will be going all out to make an impression.
He did say in an interview this week that he was told to calm his style down at Man U and this may be a major reason why he hasn't been he player we knew. It could be a bit tricky to rediscover his former fiery self without overstepping the mark.

He's not always played in his preferred position for England either, and he's not always been surrounded by the quality he was at Utd. In the last World Cup and Euros the team was awful, why would Rooney have been any different? He does have a tendency to fade when frustrated, and playing for England must be pretty frustrating. But he's one of only a couple of players who change a game in a moment. We'd be mad to drop him.

I know this is a kiss of death but isn't Rooney's goal rate appear to be threatening the all time records if he can carry on for a few years?

Yeah, he's in 39 now I think. And the record is 49. I think. Something like that.