Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker has launched a scathing attack on club captain Wayne Rooney, calling for him to be dropped.
As well as claiming that England's new captain is overpaid by his club, Parker wants the 28-year-old to lose his place in Louis van Gaal's team to new signing Radamel Falcao.
"It's a huge relief to see [Falcao] arrive because they've been tepid up front so far this season. Worse than tepid actually. Very, very, very poor," Parker is quoted as saying by The Mirror.
"As for Wayne Rooney, he's been awful. There he was at Burnley this weekend, supposedly captaining the team, but I saw a player interested only in himself, doing nothing to try and lift his game or inspire his teammates.
"The only thing in any way remarkable about his performance is that he collects £300,000 a week to play that badly. Once Van Persie is fully fit again, Rooney must be the person to be dropped from United's new attacking lineup."
Rooney will lead out England as captain for the first time tonight as the Three Lions face Norway in a friendly.
Phil Archbold
