Rooney, greatest ever England striker?

Beezerk

Beezerk

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I was at his full England debut at the Stadium Of Light in 2003 and he tore Turkey to bits, an outstanding performance. Euro 2004 he was superb, I still believe we'd have won that tournament had he not broken his foot. However since then he hasn't done a great deal IMO, yes he's scored a boat load of goals but he hasn't kicked on like I hoped he would.
Lineker was the ultimate poacher but played in a great team (Gazza, Waddle, Beardsley etc), Charlton also had some greats playing with him, you can't really say the same for Rooney though which balances it out.

No doubt he'll break Bobby Charlton's goal scoring record tonight but is he the greatest?
 
What can you judge a striker on other than goals scored....?
That's his job....
When he breaks the record he will become the greatest..
Others might have been better players and aged fewer games but its all about the goals.
 
Not for me.

Wayne Rooney 48 goals from 105 games; 0.457 goals per game
Charlton 49 goals from 106 games; 0.462 goals per game
Jimmy Greaves 44 goals from 57 games; 0.772 goals per game

I'd also say that Greaves & Charlton played in an era of more meaningful games so that goals were harder to come by.
 
I like Rooney.
You do not get close to a record like his by being terrible. Yes he plays lots of games against poor opponents but lots of players do in the modern era.
His goal scoring rate is terrible at the moment but he comes deep to get the ball and his passing range is phenomenal.
As an out and out striker though - pretty meh. His first touch is cumbersome and he is very predictable. Forever cuts inside.
 
Not the best IMO - as strikers both Greaves and Linekar are above him
 
Blue in Munich said:
Not for me.

Wayne Rooney 48 goals from 105 games; 0.457 goals per game
Charlton 49 goals from 106 games; 0.462 goals per game
Jimmy Greaves 44 goals from 57 games; 0.772 goals per game

I'd also say that Greaves & Charlton played in an era of more meaningful games so that goals were harder to come by.
Click to expand...

Yep gota agree wih this , somebody might come along with some other stats to prove me wrong but when the Latvias,Lithuanias, Faros etc came on the scene alota the goals may have been easier to come by ..

One big example .. Robbie Keane 1 behind Gert Mullers record , helped by last nights 2 goals against Gibraltar .. still have to be scored but ...
 
It's an odd un. It's like saying Messi is never gonna be the best player ever because he did nowt in major finals. But his records speak for themselves.

Where as Rooney has done it in the prem, and occasionally he has done it for England, but when it comes to major comps he has gone missing.
cannot deny he has done very well, but the best ever for ENGLAND nah.

wonder if linekar, Charlton, Greaves etc ever went 10 games without scoring.
 
Rooney as been fantastic for England,but I'd certainly put Shearer in front of him.
But Rooney as played in some pretty poor England teams.

To be top all time top scorer is some achievement.
 
Alan Shearer for me. No dramas, no whining, no bullshit. Hard as nails, commited and a great striker.
 
Shearer and Lineker for me, different types of players, but Shearer also wins on the beard stakes, if he grows one , its a proper one, not the arty pharty one that Lineker has at the moment.

On that subject, think Rooney is still at the bumfluff stage :)
 
As well as stats it will also depend on your age. For me the all time great was Jimmy Greaves but you had to see him play in order to appreciate what a great goal scorer he was. Shearer and Lineker were also better strikers than Rooney.
 
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