Ronaldo

It's all about how they play together, not how good they are as individuals for their respective clubs. That's why Italy won it last time with Marco Materazzi as their top scorer.

How many times have Cole and Rooney played together? Bad bad idea, unless he signs for Man U and they develop an incredible partnership.

Where's Messi gone? Shame he couldn't admit his mistake like a real son of Norn Iron. Well if the mackem said it.....

Rooney played off Ruud. Is that too difficult for you to understand? And it was 2 seasons.

As a striker I'd take Shearer over Rooney any day. Rooney playing off Shearer, now that would have been sublime. Rooney plays too deep to play off people. Lineker would work much better. Defo take Shearer over Rooney though. Al in his prime is in a completely different league to anything Rooney's produced thus far. To be honest I don't even know why I'm replying to one of your posts in this thread. But the opening statement is complete nonsense given the way Rooney and Van Nistelrooj played together.

Jade Goody started it.

Truth be told I was 11 when Shearer had his injury and I never watched England's games with the same concentration I did for say a Monday night football between Leicester and Man City. My opinion isn't as valid as it could be but it would take an awful lot to beat Rooney who's always looked pretty damn brilliant in an England shirt imo.

I think he was perhaps the best striker in the world from 95-97 from those I saw. I never saw Shearer really excel in an England shirt except for Euro 96 though. In terms of ability i'd definetly go for Rooney, although a prime Shearer would be a better bet for a goal.

I'm not going to ignite the Shearer debate again, he was a great, great player at his best. But some of you live in dreamland in regards to his talents.

My first memory of football is my dad shouting his name during WC 90.

I was born a couple of days after the 86' tournament so I can't comment on that or 90'. It was the striker comment I was referring to though. I don't think Shearer was quite as good as Rooney, but pretty close.

Name a better one.

The defence and midfield are better than I can remember, and Rooney is the best striker i've ever seen in an England shirt. The problem is, goals win games and Rooney doesn't have a fantastic record when it matters.

Not going to replace VP though, is he?

Aye. It's a fucking pain in the arse.

I'm just enjoying the fact that we're winning games in the first place.

I can see Ledley King on the touchline, jeans handing down past his knees.

With Owen it's all about certain games lasting in the memory. Argentina, Germany, Argentine again, Arsenal in the cup final. There's no substance to it beyond that really.

That's part of it. But if he was an ex-Man U striker who managed 4 goals last season they wouldn't have been so quick to praise.

Not really. Most of the media would have named him one of our best players last season, stupid c***s.

Defensive midfielders get the praise when the creativity fails, always happens. Hargreaves in 2006 a case in point. But Butt was good in that tournament.

I went to Newcastle Airport after that game, had a good chat with that short bloke who used to present Tyne Tees football.

Dabizas wasn't at the heart of our defence when we finished 3rd tbh. It was Bramble, Obi and Woodgate in a revolving pattern.

Can't think of many other products of our youth team that have won 2 Premier League titles and played in the Champions league......and we keep Andy O'Brian & Nikos Dabizas?! Dabizas captained Greece, who won the european championships - if we're playing that game. O'brien played in the World Cup and is twice the defender Gary Caldwell is, who'd get murdered in the premier league.