Hodgson hints at starting role for Rooney

England manager Roy Hodgson has hinted that Wayne Rooney will start at Euro 2016 after admitting it would “take an awful lot” to leave him out.

The Manchester United and England captain is still on the sidelines with a knee injury that he picked up in February.

Rooney suffered the knock against Sunderland in the 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light but managed to play on. However, he suffered a setback in his recovery and is now expected to return at the end of the month.

His absence and the form of Danny Welbeck, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy has now seen the media question whether Hodgson should select him for the European Championships.

He missed last week’s friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands but Hodgson has refused to rule him out of a starting berth come Euro 2016.

The former Liverpool boss insists everyone needs to fight for their place still, but he concedes that leaving Rooney out could be a step too far.

“I have no thoughts of jettisoning Wayne Rooney and I certainly wouldn’t do it because I fear people might be thinking I am cautious,”
the 68-year-old said.

“He has been the captain of our team for the last two years and has done extremely well.

“But it would take a lot before I say to Wayne Rooney after just 19 games and two defeats that because I am being pushed to make a brave and bold decision and show what a fantastic forward-thinking and adventurous coach I am, ‘I am leaving you out of the team’.

“It would take an awful lot for me to do that.”

Rooney is expected to lead England out this summer and the Three Lions are priced at 9.00 to win Euro 2016.