STAN COLLYMORE Faith in Roo could be Roy’s Waterloo
Follow us on Twitter: @peoplesport THE BEST managers are often the ones who who can stop you in your tracks with a decision that’s just bold, brave and unthinkable.
So now is the moment for Roy Hodgson to pull his captain Wayne Rooney to one side and tell him he will be sitting on the bench when England kick off their opening group game of Euro 2016 against Russia in Marseille.
As much as I love Rooney and recognise his achievements for club and country, that seems to me to be the only logical solution.
Whether Roy plays one, two or three up top, Rooney doesn’t warrant his place in my starting line-up.
Ruthless
He would be far better coming off the bench because his tournament record in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and Euro 2012 was poor.
But it won’t happen because I don’t think Hodgson would make such a brutal, ruthless decision about his captain on the eve of this tournament – even though he should.
I like Hodgson. I admire his pragmatism and the way he has stabilised England.
But he appears to have painted himself into a corner and got himself into a right old mess that’s threatening the balance of England’s team as they head into a tournament which should hold so much promise for the Three Lions.
The Russia game is so vital to what follows for England that Hodgson should drop Rooney and go with a front two of Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy, with Dele Alli as England’s number 10.
I would go 3-5-2 with Joe Hart in goal, a back three of Eric Dier, Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill, a five-man midfield of Kyle Walker, Jack Wilshere, Alli, Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose, with Kane and Vardy in attack.
That won’t happen of course because Hodgson will start Rooney even though, deep down, he may know so many who oppose his view – a lot of them ex-pros themselves – can’t all be wrong.
I watched the Portugal game while I was on a sunshine break in Greece – but I can tell you I wasn’t in holiday mood as I watched.
In fact I was apoplectic with rage. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing STSAN STAN’S S TEAM FOR RUSSIA GAME: (3-5-2) Hart, Dier, Smalling Smalling,Smallig, Cahill; Walker Walker, Wilshere, Alli, Sterling, Rose; Kane, Vardy so close to the start of Euro 2016 and it left me gutted.
Kane and Vardy have the potential to be a lethal strike pair if Hodgson would only stick with them as a front two.
But there they were 50 yards apart, seemingly trying to stop Portugal’s full-backs getting forward rather than being 15 yards from each other.
Then there was Alli, England’s most mobile midfielder and potentially a top number 10, playing in areas where he can’t cause maximum damage. And all to shoehorn Rooney into the side.
Sense
The TV sports feed I was watching had Mark Hateley and Trevor Steven as analysers and I heard what Gary Lineker was saying too – all of them were thinking the same as me. We can’t all be wrong.
In our last 11 tournament games we’ve not beaten an opposing team by more than one goal and if we go to France trying to play the system Hodgson used against Portugal that won’t improve.
It would have made so much sense to go with our best attacking weapons – Kane and Vardy – up front and Alli behind. It should be that simple. But here we are on the eve of Euro 2016 no knowing our best formation.
And that’s just crazy.
Stan was talking to STEVE BATES
ALL THE talk has been about Manchester being Football Central next season with Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola resuming their rivalry this time at United and City.
But Everton’s reported capture of Ronald Koeman on a £6milliona-season contract is a massive coup and also gives Merseyside two world class managers with Jurgen Klopp across Stanley Park.
They can’t quite rival Manchester’s big two but it’ll ensure plenty of focus will be on the two clubs next season.
Koeman will be perfect for Goodison Park. He’s calm, knows his stuff, has done a fantastic job at Southampton and will take Everton to the next level.
And I’m certain that’s where Everton’s new owner Farhad Moshiri will expect to go given the investment I think he will make in the team. More