England's interim manager Gareth Southgate expressed bewilderment after captain Wayne Rooney was booed by his own supporters during his side's 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Malta.
Rooney, his country's record goal-scorer and most-capped outfield player, played in a midfield holding role at Wembley on Saturday and produced a low-key display as England ground out a laboured win.
There was a smattering of boos when his name was read out prior to kick-off and again after he hoisted a shot over the crossbar late in the game.
"I don't understand it," said Southgate, who has replaced Sam Allardyce on an interim basis.
"That seems to be the landscape. I've no idea how that's expected to help.
"I presented him with a cap in the week for being the record (outfield) cap-holder with his country. It's fascinating to get an insight into his world over the last 10 days.
"Every debate seems to focus on him. The onus on him is enormous. The criticism of him is, at times, unfair. He ploughs on and plays with pride and captains his country with pride."
Southgate pointed out that a number of England stalwarts had in recent times taken stick from the country's frustrated fans.
"I always look back to the (John) Terrys, the (Frank) Lampards, the Ashley Coles. In their time with England they took an enormous amount of criticism," he said.
"And yet when you look at the number of caps they got, they were the guys that kept turning out and really putting themselves on the line.
"Some other players have not put themselves forward and withdrawn from squads when the going has got tough.
"Those guys desperately wanted to play for England again and again and again and put their neck on the block. I think Wayne falls into that category."
Jose Mourinho, Rooney's club manager at Manchester United, vowed on the eve of the season that the former Everton striker would "never" play for him in midfield.
Rooney has, however, featured in midfield for United -- when not on the bench -- and Southgate was reluctant to wade into the debate about his position.
"Look, Jose will have his opinion on what's right for his team," Southgate told his post-match press conference.
"I have to pick a team to get a result today. I don't see any point in getting drawn into that."
- Southgate preaches patience -
Southgate began his four-game tenure with victory courtesy of first-half goals from Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli.
Both goals were created by Jordan Henderson, the Liverpool skipper crossing for club-mate Sturridge to head in the opener and then laying the foundations for Alli's strike with a run to the edge of the box.
England had lost Ryan Bertrand to a hamstring injury by the time Sturridge broke the deadlock in the 29th minute and Southgate reacted quickly by drafting in Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs.
England will go in search of a third Group F win in Slovenia on Tuesday and Southgate warned it will take time for his ideas to take root.
"Given the situation I picked up about 12 days ago, we've internally come a hell of a long way to get everything together," said Southgate, who came in after Allardyce was brought down by a newspaper sting.
"I've seen teams having to work all pre-season to get new ideas across and we've had four days. So I've also got to be very realistic about what that might look like."
England would have won much more comfortably had it not been for Malta's London-born goalkeeper Andrew Hogg, who produced a succession of saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Malta were beaten 5-1 by Scotland in their opening game, but Hogg felt they had been given a harder time of it by England.
"I just do my job. It was a good game. I am happy," said Hogg, whose side face Lithuania in Vilnius on Tuesday.
"England impressed me more than Scotland. The final result against them was not fair. We are a team that can play."
AFP
Sun Oct 09 2016
![Football: Rooney boo brigade baffles Southgate Football: Rooney boo brigade baffles Southgate](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-10/61475976390_WayneRooney.jpg)
Wayne Rooney (R) is watched by Gareth Southgate during the World Cup 2018 football qualification match between England and Malta at Wembley Stadium in London on October 8, 2016. / AFP Photo
![Hari Kebangsaan: Tidak berkira hias rumah, kereta sejak 24 tahun lepas Hari Kebangsaan: Tidak berkira hias rumah, kereta sejak 24 tahun lepas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723628328_TBKandapan.jpg)
Hari Kebangsaan: Tidak berkira hias rumah, kereta sejak 24 tahun lepas
Kandapan juga cukup terkenal dengan keretanya yang turut dihiasi Jalur Gemilang, bendera Johor dan semua negeri serta pelbagai pelekat imej bertemakan kemerdekaan termasuk wajah pemimpin negara.
![Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/81613025046_TBPelantarMinyak.jpg)
Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI
Malaysia akan kekal sebagai destinasi utama bagi pelaburan syarikat minyak nasional Thailand, PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), dalam jangka masa pendek dan panjang.
Jualan penyaman udara naik mendadak di negara Balkan
Menetap di negara sejuk, mereka tidak pernah terfikir memasang penyaman udara di dalam rumah memandangkan musim panas bukanlah setiap hari. Namun, cuaca panas melampau membuatkan mereka bertukar fikiran.
![Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-01/61706688348_wismaputra.jpg)
Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Kerajaan Malaysia mengecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan Masjid Al-Aqsa oleh ekstremis Zionis Israel pada 13 Ogos.
![Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723653359_TBMOKHTAR.jpg)
Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham
Ayah kepada penyanyi dan Youtubers Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar reda dengan pemergian anak lelakinya walaupun itu bukan pengakhiran yang beliau harapkan.
Ahli perniagaan diberkas, terlibat dalam aktiviti kumpulan mafia
Seorang ahli perniagaan Itali ditangkap di bandar Natal, Brazil pada selasa.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Srettha hormati keputusan mahkamah
Srettha Thavisin menghormati keputusan Mahkamah Perlembagaan Thailand yang memecatnya daripada jawatan Perdana Menteri.
Lahir empat hari lepas, bayi kembar maut angkara serangan rejim Zionis
Kembar lelaki diberikan nama Asser manakala Ayssel pula nama diberi buat kembar perempuan, kedua-duanya lahir pada 10 Ogos lepas.
Lelaki tikam ibu saudara direman tujuh hari
Seorang lelaki yang disyaki menikam ibu saudaranya di kepala dengan gunting, semalam direman selama tujuh hari hingga 21 Ogos ini.
PN senarai pendek tiga calon, akan diumum selepas PRK Nenggiri
Perikatan Nasional telah menyenarai pendek tiga calon untuk bertanding pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Mahkota yang dijadualkan berlangsung pada 28 September depan.