‘Something’s not right’ – Wayne Rooney worried by messages coming from England camp after unimpressive Euro 2024 start
MANCHESTER UNITED legend Wayne Rooney has claimed “something is not right” ahead of England’s final Euro 2024 group stage match.
The Three Lions automatically qualified for the round-of-16 on Monday with one game left to play.
However, Gareth Southgate‘s side have failed to impress on the pitch.
England clinched a 1-0 win over Serbia before dropping points to Denmark in a 1-1 draw last week.
And Rooney believes there is something off about the England camp ahead of tonight’s match against Slovenia.
Speaking on the BBC’s Euros Extra show, he explained: “The messages coming out of the camp is very different to what it has been at the last two tournaments.
“There’s certainly something not right.
“I think the positive I see from the last two games is it can only improve.
“You’re going to go up against better opposition, so it has to improve.
“And try and get a good win.”
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Jack Wilshere: Southgate must be brave with Rice
By Jack Wilshere
GARETH SOUTHGATE should be brave and play Declan Rice as our sole holding midfielder.
But if England manager Southgate doesn’t want to do that — and he probably doesn’t — then he needs to give Rice the chance to play more like he does for Arsenal.
Let’s be absolutely clear here. Rice was so important for us again during that first half against Denmark.
The fact that he had a difficult second 45 minutes showed how much England were struggling.
Rice himself would hold his hands up and say he gave away the ball too often.
But what I took overall from his performance is that he needs more help in the engine room.
Read here how Jack Wilshere would resolve the Declan Rice dilemma.
Rooney also insisted that Harry Kane and Co must seek clarity if they are unsure of how to play.
Following Thursday’s match against Denmark, the England captain admitted that he and his team-mates are “not quite sure how” to pressurise opponents.
Ex-United and Everton star Rooney continued: “For me, the players have to take responsibility as well.
“You’ve got the captain, in Harry Kane, saying he didn’t know how to press.
“If I’m in that team, and I’m going onto the football pitch and I don’t know how to press or how I’m going to play the game, that’s a big worry and a bit concerning.
“And that’s when you go to the England manager, you go to the coaches, and say ‘alright before we go onto this pitch, every single player has to know how to press.'”
'We're struggling with and without the ball', admits Harry Kane
HARRY KANE admits England “haven’t been good enough” at the Euros.
Here’s what skipper Kane said after the disappointing 1-1 draw with Denmark:
“We’re struggling with and without the ball.
“The pressing in both games hasn’t been quite right. We haven’t been good enough, from top to bottom, from me to Picks (Jordan Pickford).
“Everyone is dropping below their level a bit, in terms of retaining the ball, playing under pressure.
“We know there’ll be a bit of noise and disappointment back home.
“But it’s a time to stay calm and we’ll get there step by step.
“It wasn’t our greatest game but we got away with draw.
“We are starting games well. But when the teams are dropping a few players deeper we are not quite sure how to get the pressure on, and who is the one who is supposed to be going.”
“In the second half, we changed it with me and Jude (Bellingham) playing in front of their two midfielders. But it was difficult.”
