Fifa World Cup 2014: Rooney hits back at media following England criticism

Wayne Rooney has criticised sections of the media who questioned his form and speculated that the England forward had been relegated to training with the reserves at their base in Brazil.

The Manchester United striker came in for criticism following a muted performance in their opening 2-1 defeat to Italy in Group D on Saturday, with the Daily Mirror reporting he was now battling "to save his World Cup."

Rooney, who was used in a less-favoured left-sided role against Italy, was the only outfield player who started that match to do a full training session on Monday with the other nine only doing a gentle warm-down.

"Sometimes wonder what the press are getting at," Rooney said on Facebook.

"I said from the start I want to do everything I can to make sure I'm ready for these World Cup games and as part of that I was doing extra training a week before the squad joined up.

"That's exactly what I did yesterday, my own extra training because that's what I wanted to do."

For a player who has enjoyed a glittering club career, Rooney's international form has frequently been questioned, especially around major tournaments, where he has struggled to make an impact following an impressive Euro 2004.

He has been shunted out of his favoured position in the current England set-up with Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge occupying the sole central striking role.

He was not lacking for industry against Italy, but frequently found himself on the margins of the game despite playing a pivotal role in setting up Sturridge for England's equaliser.

England assistant coach and former Manchester United team mate Gary Neville said the current focus on Rooney was part of an English obsession with targetting big players.

"Our country loves it, creating a drama around one player," Neville said on the BBC.

"This time it's Wayne Rooney but that comes with the territory of being an important player in a big nation. I've never known there not be an obsession around one player.

"It was (Paul) Gascoigne from 1996 to 1998, (David) Beckham from 2000 to 2006. From 2006, it was Rooney and Beckham. Now it's Rooney in 2014.

"Unfortunately - or fortunately, because he is a big player - this time it's Wayne Rooney. You can't get him to do a light day's training. That's his character. He just wants to play every second of every day.

"He has an enthusiasm for football that is incredible and he's been like that since the moment I played against him when he was a young Everton kid."

Neville also defended England's display against Italy, saying the poor result was tempered by the quality of the football on show.

"Some of the football was the best I've seen from England in 10 or 15 years in a World Cup or European Championship match," the 39-year-old said.

"As we came off the pitch, we weren't thinking anything other than the team played pretty well, but we got the fine lines wrong."

PREVIEW

Start him. Drop him. Move him. The whole of England seems to have an opinion on what Roy Hodgson should do with Wayne Rooney for their Group D clash against Uruguay on Thursday.

It was the under-fire forward's inviting cross swatted home by Daniel Sturridge that got England level against Italy in their opener on Saturday but, posted on the left, Rooney looked short of fitness and struggled with defensive duties at times.

Despite the clamour in some quarters for Rooney to be dropped to the bench, Hodgson is likely to switch him to a central role behind Sturridge, pushing the jet-heeled Raheem Sterling out wide to romp up and down Uruguay's right.

The pace of Sterling, Sturridge and Danny Welbeck could cause real problems for the South Americans' defence, which crumbled in the face of Costa Rica's direct running in a shock 3-1 defeat in the first game in the group.

While England's 2-1 defeat on Saturday was their first in a World Cup opener since 1986, they go into their second game at the Corinthians arena in a confident frame of mind after a fearless display full of pace and promise against Italy.

Striker Sturridge acknowledged the level of performance promised much for the future but said England could not be satisfied with being unlucky losers.

"At the end of the day it's about results, not performances, and we realise that as a team as well," he said on Monday.

"I don't think we need to change much, we just need a bit of luck, a break, but we will take the positives out of that and the end thing is that we want results," he told reporters.

Hodgson savoured what he called England's "best performance" since he took over two years ago, suggesting he feels little reason to ring the changes for Copa America champions Uruguay.

SUAREZ TO RETURN?

Like England, Uruguay must recover from an opening loss but there were few positives from a dire performance against Costa Rica in which right back Maxi Perreira was sent off in stoppage time.

Coach Oscar Tabarez told reporters after training on Monday that his team had to be wary of England's front men, who showed "great technical potential" against Italy.

"They're fast in decision-making and running. We have to limit them, because they are going to repeat that offensive style against us," he added.

Key to Uruguay's hopes of getting their campaign back on track will be the fitness of striker Luis Suarez, who missed the opener and is still a doubt for Thursday.

Suarez lit up the English Premier League last season with 31 goals in 33 games but underwent keyhole surgery on his left knee last month and was not deemed fit enough to face Costa Rica.

While Tabarez was cagey about his key striker's chances of facing England, Suarez himself has no doubts about his fitness.

"I'm 100 per cent, otherwise I wouldn't be here," he told Uruguayan reporters at the team's training camp on Monday.

"I knew it would be difficult (to be ready for) the first game, but if the proper time was left then I was going to be 100 percent afterwards. I've done everything I had to do.

"I'm training today with the team and I feel in good condition. I never lost the joy and the desire. I never thought I would miss the World Cup."

While others were reluctant to describe Thursday's game as 'must win', Uruguay captain Diego Lugano is full aware of the importance of the match.

"It's life or death on Thursday. We're up against two of the best in the world now (England and Italy). It's an enormous challenge."

 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.