Should Wayne Rooney be making a one-game return to the England team?

Is this a good way to pay tribute to England's all-time record goalscorer? Or does it make a mockery of what should be an important friendly?

FOR - NICK LOUGHLIN

“It completely devalues the status of winning and earning an England cap” said the caller on BBC Five Live on Sunday evening.

A very valid point and well put sir.

However, if we are talking about devaluing an international call up then aren’t we already past that stage?

When England played Serbia at Leicester in 2003, Sven-Goran Eriksson had four different captains in one game. Now if rendering an England cap worthless by handing Wayne Rooney, England’s record goalscorer, a send-off is an issue what of throwing around the captain’s armband at will?

A friendly against Australia earlier that year saw such luminaries as Paul Konchesky, James Beattie and Franny Jeffers debuting. The game is best remembered for the short nature of their England careers, and the 11 substitutions made at half-time rather than the first cap for a fresh-faced Wayne Rooney.

It’s ironic that the Rooney issue was causing consternation and debate at the same time as a film about the life of Bobby Moore was being aired on television. The over-riding feeling from the excellent biography was that the only man to lift the World Cup as England captain was shunned by the Football Association, cast aside by both his country and the sport once his playing days were over.

Now, with the FA willing to recognise the career of England’s record goalscorer, they are accused of over indulgence. Maybe in 20 years’ time then Rooney’s place in the record books will be appreciated.

The Dutch FA were praised for doing similar with Wesley Sneijder, Germany with Lukas Podolski. Granted Rooney’s international days hardly covered a glorious era for the Three Lions and no sooner had he moved to the backwater of Major League Soccer, England suddenly had a plan, a structure which brought a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup. England moved on quickly without the burden of a fading record goalscorer.

And his record in major tournaments was, quite frankly, pathetic.

He was OK against average opposition, that’s why he scored so many goals for a free-flowing Manchester United team in the Premier League, but at the top of the international game he was found wanting. A flat track bully? Perhaps. He was probably a victim of circumstances, as the Three Lions never made much impact in the World Cup or European Championships.

Rooney’s international days ended with no fuss. He was already burnt out before he turned down the chance to play under Gareth Southgate in August 2017.

Is he really depriving some up and coming international talent a chance against the USA? Who is to say the likes of Jadon Sancho and Mason Mount won’t learn from having England’s record appearance holder around the camp. Gareth Southgate has been keen to have former internationals involved; taking a lead from cricket and presenting debutants with their shirt is a ceremony worth cherishing.

It’s a friendly against America. England friendlies aren’t very exciting, not very watchable and Rooney’s farewell won’t make it any better.

And it’s hardly as sycophantic as Chelsea allowing John Terry to walk off in the 26th minute of his last game for the club is it?

AGAINST - SCOTT WILSON

WHY stop at Wayne Rooney? Alan Shearer regrets not having had the opportunity to sign off properly in an England shirt, so why not play him too? Make it a Match of the Day special and play Shearer for one half and Gary Lineker for the other. Then arrange for Lineker to get a penalty to make up for the one he missed when he could have become England's record goalscorer.

If you’re really determined to raise money for charity, raffle off tickets at £5 a time. A 45-minute run-out for first prize, and 20 minutes if you get second place.

The whole thing is a farce. Bobby Moore, the greatest England player of all time, didn’t get a stage-managed send-off. Nor did any of England’s World Cup winners, still the only players to have actually achieved anything for their country. If you’re going to honour anyone, why not make it Jack Charlton, who continues to battle bravely against the ravages of Alzheimer’s? Unlike Rooney, he is not a multi-millionaire.

Rooney was a fantastic England captain, but if he had wanted to fashion a fitting end to his international career, he should have continued playing when he had the choice.

Gareth Southgate wanted to pick him for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia in August 2017, but Rooney opted to make himself unavailable for selection. His decision, his terms.

Fifteen months later, it is ridiculous to turn England’s penultimate game of the year into a glorified testimonial.

Some will claim England friendlies have already been devalued to the point of being utterly irrelevant, but try telling that to Southgate, who was arguing completely the opposite at the start of the season.

How can the England manager look a club manager in the eye in the future and request the release of one of their players for a friendly? How can he make the all-too-familiar moan about not having enough time to work with his players when he is willing to turn what should be an important fixture into a piece of show-business?

Three days after the Rooney love-in, England play Croatia in their final game of the Nations League. It could be a game to decide who wins the group. It could determine who drops down to the second tier of European nations, with major ramifications for England’s seeding for future qualifying campaigns. Prepare for that properly? Nah, let’s wheel out Wayne to play against his MLS buddies.

What message does that send out to Jadon Sancho and Mason Mount, players at the start of their international career who are being encouraged to regard an England cap as the pinnacle of their aspirations, rather than something to be tossed around lightly? What does it say to someone like Danny Welbeck, who has continued to make himself available for England, despite being regularly overlooked, but who could now miss out on the USA game in order to accommodate Rooney?

And what does it say to the loyal England fans who travel all over the world to watch their side in friendly action? ‘Thanks for your support – but it really doesn’t matter’.