Wayne Rooney Looks to Lineker for Inspiration
June 25th, 2010 by admin
An Evertonian who failed to score in the first two games of the World Cup and who faced strong criticism in the press, the parallels between Gary Lineker in 1986 and Wayne Rooney in 2010 are limited but irresistible for England fans keen to find solace in any omen, however thin or unconvincing. In Mexico in 1986, of course, Gary Lineker broke his World Cup duck in spectacular fashion by grabbing a quick-fire hat-trick in the first half hour of England’s final group match against Poland. Although it’s not Rooney’s first World Cup, he is a year younger than Lineker was in 1986 and is yet to score at the finals. Although there’s is no guarantee of Rooney scoring in South Africa, one certainty is that England will need him to return to something like his best if they are to make any progress in the tournament.