Classy Roo has made the right call

WHO are the buffoons going to blame when England come unstuck in future, now that the undervalued, unappreciated Wayne Rooney has retired from international football?

I always felt Rooney copped too much flak for a player who has scored more goals for Manchester United, and more goals for England, than anyone in the game’s history.

A minority kept harping on about his record in major tournaments. It’s strange they never mentioned England would not have qualified for half of them without Rooney’s goals and commitment.

You don’t win a record 119 caps, as an outfield player, if you don’t know your way around a football pitch.

It was a classy touch that

Rooney (above) announced his retirement after Gareth Southgate had rung him up to invite him back into the squad.

I can think of at least one player who quit international football in a huff after he was dropped. You’re reading his column!

And, for what it’s worth, I think he’s probably made the right call.

Rooney is a class act who’s spent his entire career at the top end of the game – in the Premier League, Europe and international football.

Good luck to him – and I hope he enjoys his international retirement.

He may even feel like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders and can play in the Premier League for another four or five years.

WHETHER or not it turns out to be the thin end of the wedge remains to be seen, but staging the Carabao Cup draw in the middle of the night at 4.15am is an absolute nonsense, a complete and utter disgrace.

What next – a cup final kicking off at 10am so it catches prime time TV halfway round the world?

Wayne may feel like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders..