‘ROO WILL BE BACK’

CRYSTAL PALACE manager Roy Hodgson is convinced English football has not yet seen the last of Wayne Rooney.

He certainly regrets him leaving these shores to play in the MLS with DC United when the former England boss believed Roo still had much to offer here.

Hodgson admits he would have loved to sign the Merseysider when it became known he did not figure in the long-term plans of Everton and their new manager Marco Silva.

The former Three Lions boss is delighted his team is not playing against him today at Goodison Park, not helped by striker Christian Benteke being out and talisman Wilfried Zaha still struggling to overcome an adductor injury.

Hodgson appointed Rooney his captain when England manager and he said: “He left England too early. He still has much to offer.

“He is doing fantastically well. At DC they were well down in the league when he got there, but since he’s arrived he has been fantastic, not just scoring goals, but decisive goals, like the one we saw in midweek.

“There is no doubting the talent he has and he is showing he could still play top-level English football. But it was his decision and after Manchester United and Everton, where he had tremendous affinity, deep roots, maybe he would not have been that interested in playing for another English club outside those two.

“It was a conscious decision to play abroad. I have a great deal of respect for Wayne, and I think he does for me.

“I would have loved him here at Palace, but he thought long and hard about his decision, and without a shadow of a doubt would have talked it over with his family, because he is very much a family man.

“They probably decided at this stage of their lives this was what they needed. But all good players who want to play for Palace are always welcome – should we be able to afford them.

“We don’t score enough goals, simple as that. But these fixtures are what we need to prove we are a Premier League side.”