Kenny Dalglish talks England – and an Everton fan agrees!

A lifelong Evertonian agreeing with anything Kenny Dalglish has to say is not something that you hear very often, however an exception will have to be made after reading the Scot’s thoughts on England’s Euro 2012 chances.

The former Liverpool boss has just landed his own column with The Daily Mirror and has urged the Three Lions to purely remain in the competition until the return of talisman Wayne Rooney.

The Scot said: “England’s hopes hinge on whether they can stay in the hunt until the last group game against Ukraine. If they do that, they have suddenly got one of the best striker’s in the world back in the mix and anything can happen.”

Of course, it would be ludicrous to suggest that not having a player of Rooney’s ability available for the first two group games is an advantage. It could however, turn out to be a blessing in disguise if Roy Hodgson’s outfit can pick up three points against Sweden on Friday night without the Manchester United Striker.

England’s constant failure to make a telling impact at International tournaments is often put down to fatigue after a gruelling Premier League campaign.

If there is any substance behind this argument then surely having a fresh and well rested Wayne Rooney will give everyone involved in the squad a boost and scare the life out of opposing defences.

Monday evenings 1-1 draw with a French side who are now unbeaten in their last 22 games was a well-earned point and a very credible performance to go with it.

Granted, Laurent Blanc’s side had most of the possession but a lot of that was down to the fact that there wasn’t enough of an outlet upfront. Danny Welbeck is a very talented player and has a fine career ahead of him but having a player of Rooney’s ability to hold the ball up and make things happen out of nothing can make a huge difference.

The England faithful are often quick to put too much pressure on their heroes, whether it be Paul Gascoigne in 1990 or David Beckham in 1998, and it is important to remember that one player does not make a team.

This particular hero could make a huge difference though, especially when you take into account that the former Everton striker has just come off the back of a season which saw him score 35 goals in all competitions, the best return of his career to date.

It is eight years ago since Rooney set Euro 2004 alight with the type of performances that had not been seen in an England shirt since Gazza’s heroics in that famous Italia ’90 campaign.

He has failed to deliver on the big stage for his country since then but his given his recent form, could that be about to change?

Dalglish seemed to think so. He added: “I still remember the way Rooney tore William Gallas apart against France in Euro 2004. If you think he was good then, he’s better than that now.”

The stage is set for Rooney to steal the show when he finally plays his part in this already fascinating tournament. Before that though, a wounded Sweden side will prove tough opposition and will be looking to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Ukraine.

The message remains as ever – Keep Calm and Carry On.  

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