Wayne Rooney struts around like a preening prima donna
DISSENT: Wayne Rooney's troubles are the tip of the iceberg
By Neil Ashton, 20/06/2010
ANGRY Fabio Capello has vowed to get a grip on out-of-control Wayne Rooney as simmering tensions in the World Cup camp threaten to boil over.
We can reveal the Man United star has been branded a "preening prima donna" who expects the side to be built around him and blames everyone else when things go wrong.
England insiders in South Africa believe he acted like a spoilt brat over his outburst at booing fans after the 0-0 flop against Algeria.
And Italian Capello, stunned by his team's shocking display, will hold a crunch showdown with the wayward superstar before England's must-win game with Slovenia on Wednesday afternoon - telling him: "Don't let your ego wreck our World Cup."
But the Rooney problem is just the tip of an iceberg of player dissent threatening to sink our World Cup dreams.
Today we also detail how England's stars - whose lacklustre displays have shocked millions of fans - are:
FURIOUS at Capello's off-hand attitude to even the senior members of the squad, often walking past them without even saying hello.
GOING MAD with boredom because they are ordered to rest in their rooms at the team hotel in Rustenburg for up to FIVEHOURS a day.
TENSIONS: A weary Capello on the England team bus yesterday
Splash NewsSUFFERING from such poor morale that even Capello's famous "hair-dryer"-style rants are no longer having any impact.
INSECURE over his tactics and team selection as well as his insistence on only announcing the team two hours before kick-off.
Capello, 64, is yet to face a full-on revolt from his misfiring stars-but he shares their concerns about Rooney.
The nation was left stunned when the striker turned to a TV camera as he stormed off the pitch on Wednesday and sneered: "Nice to see your home fans boo you. That's what loyal support is."
Capello later admitted he fears Rooney has psychological problems. He said: "He's completely fit and in training we have to send him back to the dressing room every time. He's perfect. The problem is in his mind."
But a senior England source went further - suggesting the player's ego was to blame.
"Wayne came into the competition placed on the same podium as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and thought he could eclipse them," he said.
"He believes the team should be built around him. And that's what Capello has attempted to do, even though it's meant Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard playing in a system that doesn't suit them.
"But he's done nothing to justify his billing. Instead, he's been strutting around like a preening prima donna and having a go at the fans he's letting down so badly."
OUTBURST: Rooney displays his anger at England fans booingYesterday Rooney issued a statement through the FA about his comments: "I am as passionate about the England team as anyone. Last night, on reflection I said things in the heat of the moment that came out of frustration of both our performance and the result.
"For my part I apologise for any offence caused by my actions at the end of the game."
But his apology will only go some of the way to easing resentment in the camp.
Our source said: "Unless Rooney changes his attitude, there is a danger it will continue to fester among his team mates who believe he has been over-indulged."
That resentment is not helped by being continually cooped up in the team HQ, the Royal Bafokeng Hotel in Rustenburg.
"The main problem is the boredom and the isolation," said our source. "The facilities are first class, but Capello allows them to do nothing but play table tennis or nine holes of golf. They have no freedom.
OUT OF CONTROL: Rooney is said to be resented by his team mates
"Before the World Cup the initial 30-man squad spent nearly two weeks training at Irdning in the Austrian mountains and they hated it. The boredom has continued at Rustenburg and it's affecting them all very badly.
"Sometimes they are told to stay in their rooms between three and eight to get some rest. But they don't do this with their clubs. It's totally alien to them. Wayne in particular is going mad with boredom."
Capello's aloofness from his team has also caused huge problems.
Our insider said: "Players are angry at how unapproachable he is. Even the senior players can't talk to him. There is no warmth there and he makes a point of walking past them without even saying hello. They want somebody with at least a semblance of the human touch - a bit like Sven really."
The players are also secretly desperate for Capello to try something different in the last, do-or-die game against group leaders Slovenia.
Our source said: "They want the tactics changed because 4-4-2 isn't working. They don't believe Capello will ever admit he's wrong. That is causing massive frustration among senior players who want it changed to 4-5-1 with Gerrard supporting Rooney.
"And some of the fringe players do not feel that Capello is picking a team, he's just picking the big names even if they are not performing.
"The players want to do well - but they've had it with the Capello regime."
მოკლედ დაგვრჩა ერთადერთი შანსი/იმედი და მას ჟოზე ჰქვია, რაც თავისთავად ახლო მომავალში მოსალოდნელი არ არის. ასე რომ დავმშვიდდეთ ყველანი და დაველოდოთ როდის მოიცლის ჩვენთვის ოლიმპოს მკვიდრი
მანამდე კი გეპატიჟებით მსურველებს სიდის თი ჰაუზში, ახლო მომავალში იგეგმება ფსიქო-თერაპიის საღამოების აღდგენა. ასე რომ იმედი ჯერ კიდევ ცოცხალია ...
This post has been edited by LA_NY on 20 Jun 2010, 04:57 
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ინგლისური ფეხბურთის ფანკლუბი, THREE LIONS ON THE SHIRT
