There’s something about the English mentality that reflected in the nation’s media. Outlandish optimism, based not on historical results or recent trends but blind faith, leads to a darker side; the apparent need to decry in the face of failure. England will not win this World Cup and either way Wayne Rooney is heading for some heavy criticism.
Tuesday’s headlines, dominated as they were on both front and back page by events from England’s friendly with South African Premier League side Platinum Stars, made much of the striker’s behaviour. While England failed to impress in a 3-0 victory over an opposition little better than League One standard, the media’s post match focus on ‘Rooney’s Rage,’ and the Scouser’s apparent descent into the precipice drew far greater ire.
At best Rooney’s heavy censure by the media on Tuesday is a reaction drawn from a long-held view of the striker’s supposed temperamental flaws. After all, common belief has it that the former Everton front-man cost England the 2006 World Cup, following his dismissal against Portugal in the tournament’s quarter-final.
On the darker side of that tale is a view of the media that is not only happy to focus far too heavily on the star man but is consistently sucked into a – potentially – class-based diatribe against the 34-goal striker. After all, Oxbridge educated Henry Winter’s assertion that “Rooney’s short fuse could blow England’s best chance” is based neither on recent history, nor fact, or any realistic hope for an average team.
Spot a trend?
That Rooney was not cautioned during the England qualifying campaign, is not by a long-chalk the most carded player in the squad – that honour belongs to Michael Dawson – and is widely regarded as an inspirational role model among the Manchester United squad says far more than the press care to admit.
On a more semantic level the media has also lost sight of the basic laws of football, where a player must both be both “abusive” and “foul” to draw the official into issuing a red card. Rooney’s alleged words – “f*ck you” – do not merit a dismissal unless appended with a personal attack against the officials. That is not a charge local referee Jeff Selogilwe made.
But let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Commentators do have one point though: plenty of officials, such as the non-FIFA sanctioned Selogilwe who took charge of Monday’s friendly, will seek fame and notoriety by acting against Rooney and telling the tale. In this the press is highly complicit, building a reputation that the striker has worked hard to dispel.
Rooney’s frustration with his colleagues, most of whom are of a lower standard that he, is palpable. It’s also understandable. Indeed, Fabio Capello’s half-time anger at his team, and second half rant at the fourth official, said as much. Limited as the Italian’s English might be, it certainly stretches to four-letter vernacular.
But the striker runs an even greater risk of vilification if he fails to lead England to glory. His lionisation is complete; now it is time to bring the star back to earth.
United supporters have been here before of course and when the inevitable happens it is at Old Trafford alone that Rooney will remain a hero.
I couldn’t care less about what the media gotta say, they always blame a united player and lets face it, its because not only do we give the most to english football but we also provide the best in the national side. Without wazza england will be eliminated quite easily and the country as a whole knows that, they simply lining the natioal teams talisman up for the blame.
It really is typical of the English media. I cant remember Rooney’s temperament getting too much press coverage last season. As the article says he was one of the key leaders of United’s team last year, not just on the pitch but off it as well.
To me it is inacurate to suggest that the process of setting Rooney up for a fall is class based, as in my experience, the biggest culprits of this are the tabloids, and in particular the Sun and Mirror. However, the greater point is bang on. there are a small number of commentators and analysts who are realistic in their analysis of England’s chances (quarter finals at absolute best) but the vast majority of the media continue to paint this as England’s great chance at a World Cup.The fact remains that England continue to be exactly what they have been for a very long time; a decent side mixing a small number of truly world class players with some distinctly average players. Once England get elminated, the press will also continue to vilify the one organisation they always have done. It’s not by coincidence that SAF refers to it as “us verses them”.
I totally agree with the point made and it truly is symptomatic of the British media’s strange behaviour. Having watched the Platinum Stars game (and never before has a team been so poorly named), it was actually extremely refreshing to see Rooney at his aggressive best. The rest of the players were too scared to get an injury that they pulled out of every tackle and basically walked around the pitch. Rooney, on the other hand, treated it more or less like any other game and at least made the second half watchable (almost).
On a side note, I know this isn’t an England forum but I think some of the England-related pessimism is a bit disappointing. Describing England’s chances as being Quarter Finalists “at absolute best” isn’t really on the mark, as England are unlikely to face tough opposition until the Semis. They would find it very hard to not win the group and then would probably play Ghana/Serbia in the last 16 and France (under Domenech) in the Quarters. I’d fancy England’s chances against those teams even if they would probably lose in the Semis. With a firing Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard they could even go further. Much stranger things have happened (Liverpool Champions League 2005, Greece Euro 2004, Porto CL 2004) and nobody would have called an Italy v France final last time either.