Rooney turns down pre-Euro break

Posted Sunday, May 20, 2012 by ESPN

England boss Roy Hodgson has revealed Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney turned down the chance of additional time off ahead of Euro 2012.

Hodgson views Rooney as an essential part of his plans in Poland and Ukraine this summer, despite the 26-year-old being suspended for the first two group games.

So desperate is the new England boss to have his best player fresh for the encounter with Ukraine in Donetsk on June 19 that he told Rooney not to report for next Saturday's friendly with Norway in Oslo.

Rooney was offered a further break ahead of the Wembley encounter with Belgium on June 2 in a bid to ensure he was fully recovered after an arduous domestic campaign, but Rooney was not interested and will report for duty on Tuesday, May 29.

"Wayne has been playing with a minor injury for the last three or four games which needed a couple of weeks to clear up," said Hodgson.

"He won't be involved in the Norway game and I don't know whether I will select him for Belgium at this stage.

"I offered him a couple more days' rest but he was adamant he wanted to be part of it when we meet up for the Belgium game.

"The fitness side doesn't bother me. If he needs a bit of topping up we will do that. But his enthusiasm for the task was fantastic."

Rooney will not be accompanied by United team-mate Paul Scholes this summer because Hodgson decided there was not the "void" in his squad that would have demanded the 37-year-old's selection.

Instead, with fitness doubts hanging over Scott Parker, he will look once more at a potential midfield partnership of Frank Lampard and new skipper Steven Gerrard.
It has never worked before, and Hodgson accepts he may not come up with a different conclusion.

However, after speaking with a number of senior players, he senses a deep desire to make the whole thing work, especially Gerrard, who so often has failed to match his inspirational performances for Liverpool on an international stage.

"That is probably because a lot of recent England performances have not hit the heights as far as the media and general public are concerned," said Hodgson.

"I know Steven is burning to bring the qualities he has got to England. He has made that perfectly clear to me.

"I have been buoyed by some of the conversations I have had.

"You never know when you speak to players who have not always had the best of times and taken a lot of criticism for their performances.

"I wasn't certain I was going to get that enthusiasm - 'pick me, I want to play, give me that shirt, please don't take it from me'."

For all the cuddly image of Hodgson, he has made some pretty significant calls during his first full week in charge.

Clearly, Rio Ferdinand and, to a lesser extent, Micah Richards, Peter Crouch and Michael Carrick have suffered, in addition to Stuart Pearce's self-proclaimed abilities as an organiser.

Hodgson is making his mark though. And, quite possibly, none of his decisions will be as significant as the appointment of Gary Neville to his coaching team, the first that goes beyond Euro 2012.

Concern has been expressed, both about Neville's existing media work, which will continue, and his tendency to be outspoken on certain issues.

Hodgson does not see a problem.

"Gary's views and ideas are of great interest to me," he said.

"I wanted Ray Lewington alongside me because he's a man I trust and whose coaching ability I have enormous respect for.

"But I wanted someone like Gary Neville as well - a younger guy with international and tournament experience and someone the players will listen to.

"I have been extremely impressed by the way Gary has handled himself on TV and the fact that he can watch a game of football and he can see what is going on.

"I spoke to Alex Ferguson, who told me he is a straight and loyal person with good ideas and is not afraid to tell you.

"I couldn't have asked for a more enthusiastic person and I'm looking forward to getting to know him better because I can't say I know him that well at the moment."