Wenger: England blew it by relying on Rooney
Published 23:00 12/07/10 By Darren Lewis
Arsene Wenger has warned England to stop looking to the likes of Wayne Rooney if they want to win big tournaments.
While fans in this country remain bitterly disappointed at Rooney's failure to reproduce his stunning Manchester United form in an England shirt, Wenger insists the best sides at the World Cup worked as a team.
The Arsenal boss is also convinced that the key to international success in big tournaments is ignoring the two-striker system employed by Fabio Capello with England and opting for one up front.
Wenger, who also thinks Holland, Germany and Spain progressed because their squads were unified added: "You can't create a team for a World Cup in one month. The countries which relied on their stars were wrong.
"The individual technical level has improved, but the collective level has not been so great.
"The truth is that at the World Cup, to be competitive you must have a thick midfield. That area has been reinforced at the cost of a second forward.
"The Germans were the only ones who seemed to be able to score at any moment. They have rehabilitated the dribble."
Wenger also blames modern technology for the failure of many countries' squads to bond ahead of, and during, the tournament.
England's players complained of being bored in what is perceived to have been a boot camp under Capello.
Wenger added: "We saw how it is difficult for national team players to live together.
"I have players in a lot of different teams and the echoes are all the same: 'There is a new problem: how can we spend 40 days all together...'
"The players entered an era of distant communication thanks to the internet or phones, but they don't talk anymore together.
"Each team that reached the semi-finals has been built on a very good collective and on very good World Cup qualifiers.
"Germany, Netherlands and Spain had the collective experience. You can't create a team for a World Cup in one month."
