Wayne Rooney: England players need to 'respect' striker on international return, says Gareth Southgate
Last updated on .From the section England
England players should "respect" Wayne Rooney on his international return because they need to know "the history of the shirt", says manager Gareth Southgate.
Rooney, 33, will earn his 120th and final England cap in the friendly against USA on 15 November.
The game, now called 'The Wayne Rooney Foundation International', will honour the striker and his charity.
"I think the team totally respect what he did," Southgate said.
"I think it is important they respect what the players did in the past."
England's all-time record goalscorer Rooney will come on as a second-half substitute at Wembley but will not captain the side or wear the number 10 shirt.
Rooney, who now plays in the United States for DC United, has scored 53 goals in 119 international appearances and last played for England against Scotland in November 2016.
"We talk to them a lot about that they have the shirt now but it is not their shirt, great players have worn it before them and great players will wear it after them," Southgate added.
"That lineage and heritage of the shirt and the team is important to me because I think whether you join a club or (play for) your country you need to know the history of that shirt and the importance of it - then you are not playing for the name on the back but for the crest on the front."
Rooney's one-off return to the international fold has not been without its critics. England's record appearance-maker Peter Shilton said caps should not be "given out like gifts", while former Blackburn and Celtic striker Chris Sutton said his inclusion "devalued the international cap".
Southgate says the criticism of the Football Association's decision to honour Rooney has been a "disappointment".
"It's a shame because you want it to be a fitting tribute to an outstanding player who I think has often been undervalued in terms of how well he played for England," he added.
"Hopefully, by the time we get to the game, and him being with us next week, the focus will be on 'actually, let's think about what he did and how well he played, and there's an opportunity here to thank him for that'.
"Any opportunity for us to honour a player we will hugely respect."
Southgate added that he was yet to decide when in the second half Rooney will come on but insisted it would be before fans start "heading for the tube".
"I don't want to give an exact minute because if I don't get it right, there will be a bookmaker running a book on it," he said.
"I think it should be appropriate that people are not heading for the tubes before he comes on and also we have got out of the game what we wanted and not taking someone off too early.
"There are young players we want to see from the start - that has to be the start point. And then we are able to acknowledge Wayne's contribution after that."
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From a Man Utd, & Rooney fan.
dear FA, this is a worse idea than selling our national ground.
give somebody else a chance.
In this case it's clearly not about his ability now - 'Rooney, 33, will earn his 120th and final England cap in the friendly against USA on 15 November.'
'And final'? How do you know? If he doesn't merit 121 or more, why does he deserve 120?
Charlton
Greaves
Moore
Hurst
Robson
Adams
Beckham
Lampard
Gerrard
Shilton
Lineker
Butcher
Terry
Lofthouse
Finney
Scholes
Seaman
list goes on and on...
In history, 130 years of internationals, only 1 guy gets special treatment, Rooney
We stop the premier league for this....laughable
Would understand if he won the world cup or something. But for me, minnow goals aside, he massively underachieved considering his talent and had an awful attitude to boot.
Now we get the chance to idolise him? Statue next?
Lineker subbed off with England chasing a goal, for Alan Smith, humiliating !
Never ever have we given special treatment to a retiring legend.
This is embarrassing. So if theres a pen, do we give it to Rooney? Add another easy goal to his tally !
Pathetic, ridiculous, fiasco !
Southgate just proves he's another one of those yes men appeasing managers.
No-one should bother paying for a ticket to the farce.
Rooney? it is shameful and is only happening because of MLS $$$.
Don't need to be Sherlock to work that out.
And if you want to honour him why not have him throw the first pitch? OH WAIT it's a Football match.
Hope some of the money made is used by the FA to sort Wembley out?
Bunch of clowns
#faplasticroots