London: England skipper Wayne Rooney has defended his decision to relieve Harry Kane from taking corners during Euro 2016 in defiance of former manager Roy Hodgson’s strategy.
According to Hodgson’s strategy, Kane took corners for England during the European Championships.
The Tottenham forward followed Hodgson’s plans during England’s opening game against Russia, but in the subsequent matches, Rooney decided to take over.
“Harry was taking corners. Roy decided for Harry to take corners but I felt at the time that he was the top goalscorer in the Premier League. He’s a big lad in the box,” the 30-year-old Manchester United star was quoted as saying by the Guardian on Tuesday.
“It was Roy’s decision but after the first game (against Russia) I don’t think Harry wanted to take the corners so I went over and took them.
“I felt I probably should have been taking them anyway. He [Kane] is probably better in the air than me and for the last season he had been scoring a lot of goals. So that was it really. I think players have the right to make decisions on the pitch. You make a decision on what you see on the pitch,” he added.
“I think players have the right to make decisions on the pitch. You make a decision on what you see on the pitch.
“Nothing was ever made of it. I don’t think Roy had an issue with that.”
Rooney, who is preparing to lead England during the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on Sunday under newly appointed manager Sam Allardyce, also said that the whole episode is an insight into the blurred thinking under the previous manager.
England crashed out of the Euros in France when they lost 2-1 in the last-16 tie against Iceland.
