Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Lay off Wayne Rooney, Roy Hodgson tells Fabio Capello
ROY HODGSON has rounded on Fabio Capello for criticising Wayne Rooney’s performances at Euro 2012, claiming his predecessor is guilty of a “cheap” attack on the striker.
The England boss mounted a staunch defence of Rooney in the wake of Capello’s barbed appraisal in which he highlighted the disparity between the Manchester United forward’s performances for club and country.
“Capello is entitled to his opinions, I suppose,” said Hodgson. “I don’t know what relationship he would have had with Wayne but I always think it’s a bit cheap to kid on a player who was so anxious to do well.
“His attitude was magnificent. He was putting in extra work in training because he was concerned he was behind the others having missed two games. His desire to do well was enormous.”
More...
• Fabio Capello hits out at Wayne Rooney with 'Scottish jibe'
His attitude was magnificent. He was putting in extra work in training
Hodgson was counting on Rooney to ignite his team upon his return from a two-match ban, but he largely failed to deliver as England were knocked out in the quarter-finals after a shoot-out against Italy.
“In the final game he, along with one or two other players, didn’t play to the level he can but that’s what football is about,” said Hodgson. “If every player was a robot and played at the same level in every game then it would be a very simple game and we wouldn’t need coaches.”
Rooney’s jibes that instructions had been “lost in translation” during Capello’s reign drew an acerbic riposte from the Italian, who suggested the only accent he understood was Scottish because he reserved his best for Sir Alex Ferguson.