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Euro 2016: Should Wayne Rooney or Andy Caroll go for England?

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 12: Wayne Rooney of England is substitued for Andy Carroll of England during the FIFA 2014 World Cup Group H qualifying match between England and San Marino at Wembley Stadium on October 12, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 12: Wayne Rooney of England is substitued for Andy Carroll of England during the FIFA 2014 World Cup Group H qualifying match between England and San Marino at Wembley Stadium on October 12, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) /
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Both Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll could help England during Euro 2016, but which man should Roy Hodgson take?

First off let me state the obvious, there’s no way that England manager Roy Hodgson doesn’t take a fit Wayne Rooney to Euro 2016. There’s a better chance of Aston Villa being in the Premier League next season than a fit Rooney staying home. This is a debate about what Roy Hodgson should do, not what he will ultimately do.

It’s also fair to say that Hodgson could have the option to take both players to the prestigious competition. After all, Rooney has played more for United as a number ten than a striker this season, so conceivably he could play alongside Carroll for The Three Lions. My counterpoint would be to point to the already crowded list of attacking options for Hodgson and say that given the presence of men like Jamie Vardy, Harry Kane and Danny Welbeck, both Rooney and Carroll won’t fit on the squad.

As such, let’s get down to it. Who should Roy Hodgson select for the England squad for Euro 2016: Rooney or Carroll?

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The case for Wayne Rooney

The case for Rooney is a rather simple one. He’s England’s all-time leader in goals scored in international competition and he’s proven he can perform on the international stage time and time again. There’s almost zero chance that he would embarrass his country either on or off the pitch.

He also gets added points for his positional flexibility. As we mentioned earlier, he’s played more often as a central attacking midfielder for United manager Louis van Gaal this season than as a true number nine. Tottenham star Dele Alli figures to get the majority of England’s minutes at the number ten spot, but Rooney could provide Hodgson with a terrific option off the bench. He could also come on as a substitute as a striker in a desperate situation.

Rooney is the safe choice in this argument. If Hodgson takes him to the Tournament he’s going to get quality minutes from Rooney even if he isn’t the star he once was. You know he’ll put a solid shift in and help his team however he can.

The case for Andy Carroll

Roy Hodgson could bring Andy Carroll to Euro 2016 to play a Peter Crouch-like role for The Three Lions. His ability to come off the bench and completely change the game with his aerial superiority could be England’s ultimate wild card to play in times of real desperation.

Unlike Rooney, Carroll can only help you as a central striker. He lacks the pace or creativity to play anywhere else on the pitch. Fortunately for Carroll, he has one exceptional skill. He might be the best option England has to score a ball with his head. Bringing him to Euro 2016 would provide Hodgson with the ultimate plan b off the bench.

If the likes of Vardy and Kane aren’t getting it done up top, he could trot out Carroll to throw off the opposition’s defense. It’s entirely possible that he could repay Hodgson’s confidence with a crucial goal late in a match that could keep England alive in the difficult competition.

So who should Hodgson take?

For me, if Hodgson were only concerned with winning as many matches as possible in Euro 2016, he’d take Carroll over Rooney. I’d rather see Adam Lallana play as a number ten than Rooney, which completely negates the advantage in positional flexibility that most count in Rooney’s favor.

Given that, I’m left to judge the two men only as striking options off the bench. Carroll plays that role better than Rooney and that’s why he deserves to make the trip for England. It doesn’t mean he’s a better player than Rooney, clearly he isn’t, it just means that he’s better at what Hodgson needs from a back-up striker.

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There’s no way Hodgson will have the stones to make that call, but Carroll would be a more effective England player than Rooney in Euro 2016.