Redknapp On Rooney

Wayne Rooney will be kicking himself but now he has to prove himself on the pitch to silence his critics, says Jamie Redknapp...

Wayne Rooney is an old school player and in years gone by, after a great win, you could go and have a few drinks to celebrate. I've got sympathy for him because I've done it myself.

When I was playing, there was no better feeling than celebrating with your mates. I was in the dentist chair with everyone else before Euro 1996! Would I do that if I was a player now? Of course not.

The problem Rooney has got is that now you have to be whiter than white. This day and age is completely different to when I was playing, with camera phones and social media.

When you're someone as famous as Rooney, and you're not in the best of form, you have to be so careful. If you want to have a couple of drinks, fine. But don't get caught at a wedding.

As much as it was innocuous - and part of me thinks what sort of people sell these photos? - it's a sign of the times that you can't behave like that anymore.

Rooney has let his guard down really badly and he'll be kicking himself.

He's given people who were waiting for him an opportunity to go for him and they've done that. He's not been in the best of form, things haven't gone as well as he'd have liked of late and as soon as you make a mistake like this you leave yourself wide open for people to slaughter you and jump in.

You only have to look at the reaction to the other people involved to realise that. Phil Jagielka was with him. Others were out in London. What's the difference?

It's going to be a tough time for him. And worse, he's put his manager in a really tricky position.

Everyone is going to be looking at Gareth Southgate, saying 'what are you going to do about this now?' Does he leave Rooney - his captain - out of his next squad if he gets the permanent role?

They've just beaten Scotland and it was a fantastic feeling for everyone. But Gareth is now in such a difficult position and if he gets the full-time job and doesn't pick Rooney for the next round of internationals in March, I don't think Rooney could really complain.

However, if Southgate did decide to make a statement, leave him out of the squad and then find further down the line we have injuries to forwards and Rooney is bang in form, it could end up being a sticky situation. 

I hope it doesn't come to that. And I don't think it should. When Rooney stops playing for England, it should be purely on football reasons. I hope they don't use this as an excuse to get him out of the squad.

He's come out and apologised and now he has to focus on his football. It's important he finds some form, starts scoring some goals and doesn't give anyone an excuse to drop him because of this. 

Perhaps on Saturday against Arsenal - in a fixture he's performed well in previously - he can make some headlines for his footballing ability.

Credit: Skysports.com