Newly appointed England football captain Wayne Rooney has endured a testing year. With a toe injury hampering his preparation for Euro 2012 (in which England underperformed), and a horror gash on his thigh confining him to more time on the sidelines, Rooney raced the clocked to be fit for the latest round our World Cup qualifiers and has been rewarded with the captaincy for the first time since a friendly loss against Brazil three years ago. In spite of his on-field niggles, off-field issues (hookers!), and all the baggage and expectation that comes with being the nations leading striker, Wayne Rooney finds himself returning to an Ian Thorpe quote for inspiration.
Losing is not coming second. It’s getting out of the water knowing you could have done better.
With the quote adorning the a wall of the Manchester United gym amongst the mostly football related stimuli, Thorpie’s words have had a profound effect on Rooney.
“I always try to give everything and leave everything on the pitch. Sometimes it happens where you don’t play well but you have tried. I always feel like I have given everything, whether I have played well or badly. I always try to come off exhausted.”
via FIFA.com
In the absence of regular skipper Steve Gerrard through suspension, and the injury to heir apparent Frank Lampard, a new and matured Rooney (post hookers!) has be given a chance for international redemption. As a prodigious teen, Rooney has been a fixture in the English team for almost 10 years but has been criticized for saving his best form for his club as England’s recent major tournament campaigns have been marred by disappointment. Guiding the team through the next stage will be key to Rooney’s international re-birth.
With Thorpe eyeing the 2013 Championships in a Barcelona as his next challenge, maybe Rooney can return the favor by providing some inspiration of his own.
Picture by Michael Regan at Getty Images
