RECALL OR ALL OVER

His Everton team-mates have no doubts about him, so why should anyone else? He’s fitter, sharper and been our best player in pre-season.. he won’t let England down SAYS SIR GEOFF HURST Man United let him go.. in terms of England, he’s finished and the ma

SIR GEOFF HURST believes it is time for Gareth Southgate to bring an end to Wayne Rooney’s England career.

England boss Southgate names his squad tomorrow for the forthcoming qualifiers with Malta and Slovakia and Rooney could be back in the frame.

The Everton striker, England’s all-time record goalscorer, was dropped for the last squad after losing his place at Manchester United. Rooney is still officially England captain, with Harry Kane set to be given the armband permanently. But now Rooney is playing again, there is a new dilemma for Southgate. The 31-year-old left Old Trafford for Goodison Park to try to win back his place and beat Peter Shilton’s caps record – and he scored on Monday night at Manchester City, in front of Southgate. But Hurst, the hat-trick hero of England’s 1966 World Cup triumph, argues Southgate should draw a line under Rooney’s career.

Hurst said: “In terms of the England progression, Rooney would be finished, in my opinion. He’s been left out. His career at club level is progressing well at Everton. But United were prepared to let him go, he wasn’t first choice.

“When it gets to that stage and if you’re not first choice for your club – and I’m going back to his position at Manchester United – then there’s an argument that you shouldn’t be picked for England.

“Going back to my time, England boss Sir Alf Ramsey had a simple criterion that you had to be playing regularly for your club.

“I’m not sure what will happen at Everton, but my view would be that it’s the end of his England career.

“If I was manager of England now, I would say, ‘Thanks, Wayne, you’ve been great for England, but we’re going to move ahead now with other players’. I would not pick him and move on.

“If the player is slightly past his best – and you’d have to argue that is maybe the case – it could even be a distraction by involving him in the national team. It will be interesting to see what Gareth decides.”