Euro 2016: Rooney is not to be written off, says Hodgson

London: Amid the hype over Marcus Rashford, the doubts over Daniel Sturridge and the concerns over Roy Hodgson’s defence, it has almost been forgotten that England’s record goalscorer has more to prove than at any other point in his international career.

Wayne Rooney has been his country’s go-to guy from pretty much the moment he pulled on an England shirt for the first time, in 2003 against Australia. There was nice symmetry in the fact that Rashford, the nation’s latest wonderkid, made his first England appearance against Australia on Friday night and became his country’s youngest-ever debutant goalscorer.

But there was also significance in the fact that Rooney stepped off the substitutes’ bench to score his 52nd England goal against Australia, 13 years after his international debut. He played the second half across the front three and spent as much time in wide areas as he did through the middle as Hodgson weighs up how the 30-year-old will best fit into his line-up.

Harry Kane is now Hodgson’s first-choice striker, while the emergence of Jamie Vardy and Rashford has created even more competition for places among the forwards. The smart money is on Rooney starting England’s opening Euro 2016 game against Russia on the left side of a front three, but there will be calls between now and then for him to be relegated to a more permanent role on the bench.

This is a young, vibrant squad largely untainted by the years of under-achievement at major tournaments, but Rooney knows how results and performances have quickly unravelled in the past. Rather than worry about the international baggage Rooney has accrued or the pressure on his shoulders, Hodgson believes the Manchester United man can use it to his advantage in France.

“Good footballers are dangerous people to write off,” said Hodgson. “Players get raised to the sky and then buried more quickly than myself as a coach would. But I am pleased to see him playing well. Debates will rage. This is what the media are paid to do – to give opinions on who should play and where. I am happy with that, but it is up to me where Wayne plays, if he plays.

“To say I have confidence in him is a given and it would be nice if he can bring some of his latter-day Manchester United form to bear with England. There is no reason why he can’t, and possibly the stings and blows he has received have nudged him along in the right direction.”

Other than believing Rooney can still have a big influence on the pitch, Hodgson values the role his captain plays off it. Rooney has spoken of the Manchester United and Liverpool players not mixing when he burst on to the international scene, but that culture no longer exists. There was further proof of the group mentality Hodgson has fostered when Rooney allowed Chris Smalling to keep the captain’s armband when he came on against Australia.

“It says something about Wayne’s character, but it says something about the squad as well,” said Hodgson. “This is a squad of very good men who look out for each other and, in my opinion, have a good feeling amongst themselves. That is one of the things that pleases me most. This is a group that does see this England team as a team.

“They try to work together as they would in a club team, and part of those things is showing that degree of sensitivity and degree of respect for each other. I was pleased to see that, but it doesn’t surprise me about Wayne.”

Raheem Sterling is another forward who can put pressure on Rooney’s position and England’s most expensive player showed encouraging signs that he is returning to form by setting up both goals against Australia. Sterling admits to a frustrating first season at Manchester City following his 49 million pounds (Dh263 million) move from Liverpool, but he is relishing working with Hodgson again and being barked at to get on the front foot in training.

“It’s really good – every training session, if I don’t go forward, the manager has a dig at me,” said Sterling. “When someone really pushes you to want to go forward and play. I’ve learned quite a bit going into City for my first year, but I’m definitely improving mentally. “That’s the most important thing for me – my mentality, to not listen to outsiders and to just concentrate on myself and be myself and express myself.”