Rooney 'needs to play for match fitness', says Hodgson
England manager Roy Hodgson has warned unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney that he risks losing his place in the national side if he is not playing regularly on the first team.
England manager Roy Hodgson has warned unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney that he risks losing his place in the national side if he is not playing regularly on the first team.
Rooney is reportedly concerned about his position at United after falling behind Robin van Persie in the pecking order and the club have rejected two bids for him from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
You can’t divorce a person and the way a person feels from the way he plays
Although Hodgson was reluctant to speculate about the likely outcome of Rooney's situation, he said it would be difficult to continue selecting the 27-year-old if he was not playing regularly at club level.
"It's always better for a national coach when their players are playing on a regular basis, especially if they're playing well," he said.
"It's always a concern when players you count on for your national team are not getting a regular game in their club sides."
Rooney was this week named in Hodgson's squad for the friendly game against Scotland at Wembley on Wednesday, despite having missed all of United's preseason fixtures with hamstring and shoulder injuries.