Manager Roy Hodgson insists skipper Rooney is still a major part of his Euro 2016 plans despite newcomers putting up notable performances in recent friendly against Germany
England captain Wayne Rooney and Roy Hodgson
London: Roy Hodgson will not listen to calls to drop Wayne Rooney, despite seeing his England side stage a remarkable comeback in Germany on Saturday without their injured captain.
England captain Wayne Rooney. Pic/AFP
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Rooney is sidelined with a knee injury, but has endured a tough season at Manchester United, scoring just seven Barclays Premier League goals as the Red Devils lie outside the top four.
His inconsistent form, coupled with the fact Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy are enjoying fine campaigns for title-chasing Tottenham and Leicester respectively, has seen Rooney's place in Hodgson's starting line-up questioned.
Roy Hodgson
The debate intensified after Kane and Vardy scored fine goals in a stunning 3-2 victory at Berlin's Olympiastadion, with England coming from two goals down to beat the world champions.
Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez had put Germany in control of the contest, but England rallied as Kane pulled a goal back before substitute Vardy equalised with his first international goal.
And it got even better for England as Kane's Spurs teammate Eric Dier headed home a last-minute winner.
As a result Rooney, who became England's all-time record goalscorer during qualification for Euro 2016, has seen his place in the side come under scrutiny, but Hodgson backed his skipper.
"It doesn't please me too much that it is suggested now that the moment he gets injured and doesn't play he gets jettisoned in some way," he said when asked if Rooney would now find it difficult to get back into the side. I haven't given a thought to that. I'm too busy enjoying the fact that Danny Welbeck came back and did well, Vardy came on and did well and Kane I thought was excellent throughout the game.
"I will enjoy that for the minute and I'm pretty sure when Wayne is fit and comes back we will assess the situation. I'm not spending any time thinking about that.
"I have to repeat, he is our captain and he has captained the team extremely well in the last two years. He took us through a qualifying campaign where we had a complete success with 10 wins out of 10.
"He certainly doesn't deserve that (to have his place questioned) and when he comes back and he is fit again he is going to be putting enormous pressure on these players, just like these players will be putting enormous pressure on him, and that is the situation we are looking forward to."
England will now face Holland in another glamour friendly at Wembley tonight night. Hodgson has revealed he will field a changed team and, although yet to decide whether to call up a replacement left-back for the injured Ryan Bertrand, the 68-year-old did suggest defender John Stones would be given a chance.
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