Wayne Rooney to captain England team

Wayne Rooney was named England captain on Thursday, taking over the leadership role of an inexperienced team in a rebuilding phase following its worst-ever World Cup.
"He certainly deserves it, his commitment to the cause," England coach Roy Hodgson said at Wembley. "He is prepared to accept the pressures the England captaincy brings."
Hodgson confirmed the Manchester United player's appointment -- from a small pool of potential captains -- while naming the squad for England's first European Championship qualifier against Switzerland on Sept. 8 and a friendly against Norway on Wednesday.
Defenders Calum Chambers and Danny Rose, and midfielders Jack Colback and Fabian Delph were called up for the first time.

Rooney has been handed the symbolically-prestigious captaincy role following Steven Gerrard's international retirement despite a rocky relationship in the past with fans, questions about his temperament following red cards on international duty, and facing criticism over indiscretions in his personal life.
"He has that baggage with him and he will have to accept that as a further part of the pressure," Hodgson said.

"It's wrong of me to read too much into the past and any misdemeanors he might have had in that time," the coach added.
"In the two years he has been with me I have had no reason to question anything about him - his desire, his commitment."

The 28-year-old Rooney, who also recently assumed the United captaincy, wants past issues to be forgotten as England embarks on the road to Euro 2016.
"I hope that I will have the full backing of the fans," Rooney said. "I am their type of player once I am on that pitch. My only thought is to win and give everything I have got and that sharing that desire will be the way I want to captain the team.