Mat Sadler backs old pal Wayne Rooney
Shrewsbury Town's Mat Sadler insists Wayne Rooney should be a fixture in the England team for the European Championship.
The Three Lions kick off their campaign in France with their Group B opener against Russia in Marseille tomorrow night.
It comes with a debate as to whether the captain should be in the starting line-up, due to the stunning form of Premier League top scorers Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy.
Kane topped the goalscoring charts with 25 for Tottenham while Vardy hit one fewer as Leicester romped to the Premier League title, Rooney netting a distant eight from 28 games.
But Sadler, who played in the England Under-17s with Rooney almost a decade and a half ago, is convinced boss Roy Hodgson must start the Manchester United superstar.
Sadler: "Personally I don't think anyone should question what he brings to the England team – goals, leadership and creativity.
"What more do you want from a player in an advanced area of the pitch? I don't think you could ask for much more.
"He was in my year group – he's 30, I'm 31 – and he feels as good as he's ever felt, so I see no reason for him not to have the impact he always does."
But Sadler believes the fact the nation is even debating Rooney's starting role should only be seen as a positive sign of the choices Hodgson has.
The former Birmingham City left-back said: "Two things – it's massive the England team has options because for many years we haven't had that,.
"It's brilliant that this conversation is even happening, because it means other people are doing well.
"Secondly, in the game as it's played today, I'm still a massive believer in experience.
"Experienced players tend to do quite well and so do the teams they play for, so those two things for me are great news for England."
Sadler has happy memories of his time with the national set-up and reckons Rooney remains consumed by a love of the game, just like he was as a youngster.
He continued: "He was probably like a lot of the Scousers here – quite lively and vocal and they tend to stick together!
"But he just loved to be out there – that's why it was so right that he did that 'Street Soccer' thing because that was him all over.
"He could be out there playing football in front of thousands or he could be kicking a ball against a garage door – he just loves football.
"Every time he played, that enthusiasm just spread. I'm sure as hell that's still there."
After Russia, England take on Wales next Thursday in Lens before their final group game against Slovakia in St Etienne the following Monday night, prior to the knockout stages.
For once, with the so-called 'golden generation' long gone, expectations are low. But Sadler is hopeful that England could surprise a few people and go beyond the quarter-finals, if things fall for them.
He said: "I'm very optimistic – I think once you get to the quarter-finals and semi-finals, it's the luck of the draw.
"To get to the quarter-finals could be the first step and from there it's down to luck.
"We've seen games here at Shrewsbury where it doesn't go your way – you can be the better team, but you don't win. It's the quarter-finals for me and then we'll see how we go."
