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| England's Wayne Rooney insists it is trophies not individual records that motivates him |
WAYNE ROONEY insists it’s trophies and not individual records that motivates him as England now look forward to France 2016.
Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions, as expected, sealed qualification for next summer’s finals with a 6-0 win against group minnows San Marino.
Rooney also scored the opening goal from the penalty spot to equal Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 49 international goals.
But a strange substitution early in the second half denied Old Trafford star Rooney of overhauling it during the romp in the Stadio Olimpico.
Rooney who can make the record his own at Wembley on Tuesday night against Switzerland maintained: “I would swap all the goals for a European Championship winners medal next summer.
“it would have been great if it happened tonight, but to break the record at Wembley would be great as well. The most important thing was to win the game.
“Since I have been 18 Bobby (Charlton) has been helping me. He has got a presence about him and he always talks to the players. He has given me advice and tries to help me and now we have identical records, it’s a crazy game.
“If anyone would be happy for me to break their record, it would be him.”
Hodgson insisted that Rooney’s removal around the hour mark had been pre-planned and if it was his last England game and he still needed one goal to become a record breaker he would have left him on.
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| Roy Hodgson and his England side have qualified for Euro 2016 in France after San Marino victory |
Hodgson explained: “The substitution was planned. The team was planned with one eye on Tuesday. Some quite important players, regular players didn't start the game. We took off some senior people in the team, too.
“It would be nice if Wayne could get the 50th goal against Switzerland on Tuesday night. But one thing is for certain: he will get it. If it's on Tuesday, great. If not, in November. If not, in 2016. This wasn't his last and only chance.
“If this had been last game for England and he'd needed one more goal, I promise I wouldn't have taken him off.”
Now that England have qualified for France 2016 with three games to spare Hodgson believes he now has time to experiment if neeed.
He added: “The October games would now be an opportunity for experimentation. We had to win our last two qualifiers for the World Cup and used our games in November, against strong opposition, to experiment. That's the main advantage I can see about qualifying early.”
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