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Wayne Rooney: Steven Gerrard should have been England captain sooner
MANCHESTER UNITED'S Wayne Rooney says that Liverpool's Steven Gerrard should have been named England captain earlier in his career.
Gerrard was given the captaincy on a full-time basis in the lead up to Euro 2012 and looks set to lead England for the 32nd time against Montenegro on Friday night.
But Rooney claims Gerrard's leadership abilities should have been more recognised and utilised by his country a long time ago.
He said: "Steven has been one of the best in the world over the last 15 years.
"We look to him to give us that drive.
"I think he got the captain's armband a bit later than he should have. He should have been named captain earlier."
And while Rooney accepts that 33-year-old Gerrard has modified his game in recent years, he doesn't think it has altered the impact he has in the England set-up.
"He has adapted his game a little bit.
"He is not going forward as much as he used to but he has certainly got the ability to sit a bit deeper and play passes out.
"He is our leader and is going to be a really important player for us."
Rooney himself is now one of the veterans of the England squad and believes the experienced players need to step up to help guide the youngsters that Roy Hodgson has brought in.
He added: "We will need the experienced players.
"Obviously there are more younger players in the squad than there has ever been.
"The experienced players have been there and done it.
"They can keep that calmness for us.
"It is a tense situation. There are a lot of nerves and sometimes you can hear that through the crowd as well.
"It is going to be really important that our experienced players help us in those games."
And Rooney is in no doubt what is at stake when England face Montenegro and Poland.
He said: "For a country like ours, with the talent we have, it would be a failure not to qualify.
"As players, we will all take the responsibility if we don't get there.
"But we are positive and excited about the games coming up. We have to be confident in ourselves. We believe in ourselves."