Everton keen to check Rooney rise
For weeks now many have called on Sven-Goran Eriksson to call up Wayne Rooney, now he has those same fans calling for the youngster to be given his England debut.
But amid the clamour, Everton are keen to handle their new saviour with kid gloves.
Everton boss David Moyes had talked to the Football Association to ask Eriksson to take care with Rooney when he makes his first appearance at a senior squad get-together ahead of the friendly with Australia.
Rooney was still at school last year, he has just signed his first senior contract and has completed only a handful of first-team games this season.
Rooney has already been ruled out of the Under-20s tournament in the United Arab Emirates with the FA keen not to disrupt the Premiership progress of England’s youngest stars.
But to go from De La Salle RC High School’s team to Eriksson’s England side in less than a year is a mighty leap.
“When the gaffer (David Moyes) told me I was in the squad I was really happy and asked when the Under 21s had to report. He just laughed, shook his head, and said: ‘No, the full squad’. I couldn’t believe it,” Rooney recalled to the News of the World.
“To have the chance to be around senior internationals is going to be a great experience for me and I can’t wait.”
Moyes has carefully selected the games Rooney can play in, and used him in cameo appearances from the bench – to great effect as Arsenal and Leeds will attest.
His four-match ban for five bookings this season and a red card against Birmingham mean Rooney has not played regularly all year.
Rooney still has a lot to learn and faces competition from an illustrious list to claim an England debut up front.
The England boss has Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Alan Smith, Robbie Fowler and Darius Vassell. In the spring, England play Liechtenstein and Turkey in Euro 2004 qualifiers, games that must be won if they are to reach the finals in Portugal.
He is still a boy, that was obvious when he spoke at the press conference when he signed his new contract. He needs to learn, grow and could get the chance to do that in full view of the international spotlight at Upton Park.
Of course, Rooney has already been tested against world-class defenders.
He played in a Worthington Cup clash at Chelsea in December in a game which as an education for the young man.
Chelsea’s World Cup defenders and experienced professionals left him looking out of his depth.
Now Rooney will be expected to have made great strides forward if he pulls on the Three Lions against Australia.
