PURE GENIUS ... but Paul Gascoigne struggled
to handle the fame and fortune
I didn’t really get to know Wayne that well during my
recent time as England coach but I always found him to be a polite,
respectful young man. He’s not the sort of bloke who seeks the
limelight. You’ll never see him courting publicity or willingly
volunteering to talk to the media. Yet he’s relaxed and confident
when he’s with his pals and can be the joker in that
group.
Gazza was very similar in many ways, but much more of
an extrovert. He hogged the whole show ... on and off the pitch. He
wanted to make everyone laugh and be loved by everyone. Rooney is
happy just being accepted by his colleagues. He has handled his
fame very well and, though he is more than capable of expressing
himself in the papers and on TV, that’s not what he’s
about.
Anyway, his performances on the pitch are worth a
million words. That’s why he is so popular among his England pals.
Players don’t like big-heads and Rooney gives far more back to the
group than he takes from it.
A lot of really special talents believe they don’t have
to put in a shift for the team because they are supplying the
magic. Wayne’s work ethic is not just impressive, it’s startling.
In fact, some people believe he works TOO hard,
particularly in areas of the pitch where he’s not supposed to
be.
But the fact is he can handle that workload and it
doesn’t detract from his effectiveness. He’s not happy unless he
feels he’s pulling his weight. Like Gazza, he has that schoolboy’s
enthusiasm for the game. Watch him in training and he’s like a
little boy in the playground.
His current form for England is the best we’ve seen
since Euro 2004. The reason for his resurgence is because he’s fit,
healthy and enjoying a regular run of games. Because he’s built
like a boxer — short and stocky — it’s more important for him to be
the right weight and have proper fitness. Taller, leaner players
tend to come back from injury quicker.
Some talented players, especially forwards, can be
kicked out of a game by defenders. But this lad is no shrinking
violet — he’ll come back every time. Yes, he does have a short fuse
and he does flare up at times. But he’s not a nasty person. It’s
all very well telling him to calm down but that’s like saying you
shouldn’t go ‘Ouch’ when you hit your thumb with a
hammer.
So it’s down to referees to spot what is going on and
protect these special talents. In any case, you can live with the
occasional red mist because it’s the only flaw in an otherwise
magnificent player.
His partnership with Emile Heskey is really blossoming
and that’s because they’re not selfish. They are both just as happy
to set up a team-mate as they are to stick the ball in the net
themselves. With the players Fabio Capello has in his squad,
England have seven or eight potential scorers.
We’ve already scored 14 goals in four qualifiers.
Heskey hasn’t got any of them but it doesn’t affect him because he
knows his contribution is appreciated by his colleagues.
Right now, Rooney is banging them in like there is no
tomorrow. But he would honestly be just as happy not to score as
long as the team is winning. And that is what makes him so
special.
TERRY VENABLES - Columnist