Frank Lampard is to captain England in the World Cup warm-up against Ecuador while Wayne Rooney will be in the starting line-up again to build his match fitness, manager Roy Hodgson said on Tuesday.
Lampard, who announced on Monday he was leaving Chelsea after 13 years with the Premier League team, has been linked with a move to a Major League Soccer club in the United States.
The 35-year-old midfielder, who will win his 104th cap at the Sun Life Stadium on Wednesday, is to lead an experimental England line-up against Ecuador with James Milner being deployed at right back in place of Glen Johnson.
Hodgson said he would change the team that beat Peru 3-0 at Wembley on Friday but added he would stick with Manchester United forward Rooney, the subject of media speculation over whether he deserves to start England’s opening World Cup game against Italy in Brazil later this month.
“The thinking behind Wayne starting a second game is quite simple,” Hodgson told a news conference.
“He only played 60 minutes the other day, he didn’t play many games before he came to join us. We think he is recovering his match fitness and we think starting the game and playing a part of the game will be to his advantage.
“We will see how long he plays and that will be based on how his fitness is progressing.”
Asked where Rooney would play, Hodgson said: “There is a real obsession with Wayne which I don’t necessarily share. I am very happy to have him here as one of 23 players but I don’t have to share the obsession that he has to play here, or has to do that.
“As far as I am concerned I look at the players at my disposal. I decide what I think they need and we need from them and then I expect them to do it.”
Turning to midfielder Milner, Hodgson added: “He’s going to play right back tomorrow because I think he has the qualities to play there and I think there may be moments during the World Cup where we would like to use him there”.
Source: Supersport