[Alf]

Just to back up what I said on Shearer, here's a snippet from a Telegraph article.



As Shearer sat inside St James' Park on Thursday, facing the question-firing squad with his back ramrod-straight and eyes glinting with steel, his mind wandered back to those 12 goalless games he endured before Euro 96. Names of other noted poachers were being touted around, respected finishers such as Les Ferdinand, Andy Cole and Ian Wright. Venables would not be swayed. He knew Shearer could form a devastating partnership with Teddy Sheringham, the famous SAS.


"A month before the tournament, Terry said to me: 'You will be starting the tournament.' I always remembered the belief that gave me. That was a great piece of man-management. That always stuck out for me. Every player loves to be told how well they are doing, what a good player they are.''


His confidence bolstered, Shearer tore into Europe's finest, finishing as top scorer with five goals, dovetailing brilliantly with Teddy Sheringham. Although England ended empty-handed and broken-hearted, Shearer had handsomely repaid Venables' faith.







Why don't we start boosting Rooney's confidence by telling him how good he is, instead of the opposite? It's too late to start saying how great he was, when he retires.