Wayne Rooney: Everton striker's focus is on club rather than country

Published on: 21 August 2017

Rooney celebrated his 200th goal by cupping his hands to his ears in front of the Manchester City supporters

Striker Wayne Rooney says he is 'focusing on Everton' rather than an international recall after scoring his 200th Premier League goal.

Rooney, 31, netted the opener in Monday's 1-1 draw at Manchester City - his second goal in two league games.

He was overlooked for the England squad by manager Gareth Southgate for matches against Scotland and Spain in June.

Asked about a recall, Rooney said: "I'm sure I'll speak to Southgate over the next few days, we'll see what happens."

Southgate is due to name a squad on Thursday for the World Cup 2018 qualifiers away at Malta, on 1 September, and home to Slovakia three days later.

Match report: Man City 1-1 EvertonRelive the game at Rooney scored 200th PL goal

Media playback is not supported on this device

Three great Rooney goals for Everton

Former Manchester United and England captain Rooney spent 13 years at Old Trafford, where he became the club's top scorer with 253 goals and he is the national team's all-time leading marksman with 53 strikes.

Having rejoined Everton this summer, Rooney has scored in both the side's opening Premier League games against Stoke and City.

Finding the net at Etihad Stadium made him only the second player after Alan Shearer to score 200 Premier League goals. He celebrated by cupping his ears in front of the home supporters.

Rooney told Sky Sports: "It was nice. To do it today in such an important game for us, with tough games coming up, it was a sweet moment and I am sure the red half of Manchester will have enjoyed it as well."

This content will not work on your device, please check Javascript and cookies are enabled or update your browser

Welcome to the club - reaction

Premier League's leading goalscorer Alan Shearer: "Congratulations Wayne on reaching 200 Premier League goals, a great achievement. Where have you been? The 200 club has been a lonely place without you. Well done, I am sure you have a few more goals in you."

Everton manager Ronald Koeman: "He is still the player that every manager needs in his team. He is back home. He is that teacher for younger players. We would like to win titles and he knows how to win titles. He has that cleverness to know the best decision on the pitch.

"Players over 30 need regular game time. He had a good pre-season - trained and played a lot - he is in the physical state he needs to give these performances."

Former Manchester United and Everton defender Phil Neville on BBC Radio 5 live: "I think this move has come at the perfect time for him in his career, I don't think he is anywhere near finished. I see a footballer who looks challenged, motivated and really really happy playing for the club that he loves more than any other.

"The biggest question may be whether Wayne Rooney wants to play for England, not whether England want Wayne Rooney. Looking at him he's playing in the Europa League and he will want to do well for Everton. He might be want the international break to recharge his batteries."

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye: "Very tough game! Disappointed not to get all three points but congratulations to Wayne Rooney for his 200th goals."

Former club Manchester United: "Congratulations to Wayne Rooney on reaching 200 Premier League goals. A true legend!"

@-webkit-keyframes spinnerRotate { from{-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);} to{-webkit-transform:rotate(360deg);} } @-moz-keyframes spinnerRotate { from{-moz-transform:rotate(0deg);} to{-moz-transform:rotate(360deg);} } @-ms-keyframes spinnerRotate { from{-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);} to{-ms-transform:rotate(360deg);} } .bbc-news-visual-journalism-loading-spinner { display: block; margin: 10px auto; width: 33px; height: 33px; max-width: 33px; -webkit-animation-name: spinnerRotate; -webkit-animation-duration: 5s; -webkit-animation-iteration-count: infinite; -webkit-animation-timing-function: linear; -moz-animation-name: spinnerRotate; -moz-animation-duration: 5s; -moz-animation-iteration-count: infinite; -moz-animation-timing-function: linear; -ms-animation-name: spinnerRotate; -ms-animation-duration: 5s; -ms-animation-iteration-count: infinite; -ms-animation-timing-function: linear; background-image: url('data:image/gif;base64,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'); } Click to see content: Rooneygoalsscored @-webkit-keyframes spinnerRotate { from{-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);} to{-webkit-transform:rotate(360deg);} } @-moz-keyframes spinnerRotate { from{-moz-transform:rotate(0deg);} to{-moz-transform:rotate(360deg);} } @-ms-keyframes spinnerRotate { from{-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);} to{-ms-transform:rotate(360deg);} } .bbc-news-visual-journalism-loading-spinner { display: block; margin: 10px auto; width: 33px; height: 33px; max-width: 33px; -webkit-animation-name: spinnerRotate; -webkit-animation-duration: 5s; -webkit-animation-iteration-count: infinite; -webkit-animation-timing-function: linear; -moz-animation-name: spinnerRotate; -moz-animation-duration: 5s; -moz-animation-iteration-count: infinite; -moz-animation-timing-function: linear; -ms-animation-name: spinnerRotate; -ms-animation-duration: 5s; -ms-animation-iteration-count: infinite; -ms-animation-timing-function: linear; background-image: url('data:image/gif;base64,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'); } Click to see content: Rooneymins Top Premier League goal scorersPlayerAppearancesGoalsAlan Shearer441260Wayne Rooney462200Andy Cole414187Frank Lampard609177Thierry Henry258175Robbie Fowler379163

Source: bbc.com

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more