World Cup 2010 - FIFA praise for RooneyEurosport - Fri, 03 Sep 12:18:00 2010
Wayne Rooney has been praised by a FIFA technical committee despite his lacklustre displays for England during their failed World Cup campaign.
Rooney and his fellow Three Lions players returned from South Africa to a storm of criticism for their failure to progress beyond the last 16.
Rooney in particular was labelled one of the biggest disappointments of the tournament following several disinterested and toothless displays.
But a study group consisting of former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier and former Scotland boss Andy Roxburgh have ruled that England were in fact a team with "strong, hard-working players" whose "aerial strength (was) used effectively at set pieces in defence".
The report singled out Rooney for praise as a "hard-working, energetic striker... (who) worked hard for the team... (with) good technique" while nominating the frontman, who failed to find the back of the net, as one of England’s three players of the tournament.
Midfielder Steven Gerrard was England’s most influential player, according to the report, "a dynamic midfielder with good vision and technique, who linked defence and attack”.
England's "effective use of full-backs" impressed the panel and saw Ashley Cole win the final place among the team's three "outstanding players": he was described as “a competitive left-back with good technique who made forceful attacking runs”.
原來真有其事……
