Is this where it all ends for benched Rooney?

Posted Tuesday, October 11, 2016 by Goal.com

The Manchester United forward has been left out of England's clash against Slovenia, and he now faces a battle to earn his place in the squad for the 2018 World Cup

Why it has taken this long only Roy Hodgson, Sam Allardyce and Gareth Southgate know. But on Tuesday evening, England captain Wayne Rooney will be among the substitutes as the Three Lions kick-off their latest World Cup qualifier against Slovenia. Perhaps now the national side can finally begin to move forward in the next stage of their evolution.

Rooney’s fall from grace has accelerated in recent months, but in truth his form has been waning since he again failed to perform on the biggest stage for England in the 2014 World Cup. He has been forced into the deeper role many expected him to thrive in late in his career, and it is a transition that – for the most part – has not worked.

Southgate may claim that the decision to leave the man who was for so long his country's talisman out is purely tactical, but no matter the opposition, if Rooney were in form he could not be left out whether England were in Slovenia or Spain. Picking Eric Dier not only shores up the midfield defensively, but it also allows a better player his chance to further stake his claim to be Rooney's long-term successor with the armband.

Rooney has been guilty of lacking the quality to dictate the tempo of a game from midfield, with both Manchester United and England struggling to play with any kind of freedom while their skipper keeps them anchored at the heart of midfield. The odd Hollywood diagonal pass pleases some supporters, but more frequently such efforts are lacking the accuracy or potency to put opposition defences under pressure.

The question now remains as to what this means for the remainder of Rooney’s international career. Jose Mourinho’s decision to leave him on the sidelines at Old Trafford is likely to signify the beginning of the end of his United career, with the former Everton forward likely to be afforded the time required to move ahead of Sir Bobby Charlton as the club’s greatest ever goalscorer.

But for England, Rooney has already set his own stall out in terms of where he wishes to bow out. The 30-year-old revealed earlier this season that the World Cup in Russia would be his final major international tournament before retirement from England duty, but if he is to remain a fringe player for both club and country, would he really be worth a place in the 23-man squad named by whomever replaces Allardyce on a permanent basis? The answer would likely be negative.