Wayne Rooney blames mobile phones and social media for lack of leaders in English football

Wayne Rooney has blamed mobile phones and social media for the decline in leadership qualities among footballers in England.

The former Manchester United and England captain, now manager of Championship club Birmingham, says dressing rooms are now more quiet than during his playing career and believes the increasing use of mobile devices is the reason.

He said: ‘I speak to players about it all the time – communication. Not just here but with every team, you see a real lack of people talking on the pitch and helping each other.

‘The amount of time you see people on their phones, social media… it’s so easy to have conversations on your phone and through those platforms rather than the most important one which is actually speaking to someone face to face. Certainly on a football pitch that has changed over the years, there is no doubt about that.

‘It’s trying to get the players to speak more. The more you speak the more you help your team-mate, the more you wake up your team-mate on the pitch, just by communicating.

‘When you’re a defender you need to be talking to your midfield players, whether you ask them to shuffle left, right, get to the ball.

‘When you’re a midfield player you need to be talking to your attacking players and that helps your team-mate. That’s how football works and how it’s always been.

‘As a defender you can see more than a midfielder can see from being at the back, same with your goalkeeper to the back four. Talking helps and that’s always been the way it’s been on the pitch.’

Rooney is still looking for his first win as Birmingham manager after four games in charge. On Saturday his team face Sunderland, who have Jobe Bellingham – the younger brother of Real Madrid star, Jude Bellingham in their squad.

Rooney says young talents should take a cue from generational English talents like himself and Bellingham.

‘What he is doing is incredible and has to be an inspiration not just for young players here at Birmingham but around the country,’ said Rooney.

‘You see a young player have the desire to go to a different country, be successful in Germany then kick on and go to Spain to play for Real Madrid.

‘He’s at one of the biggest clubs in the world and to do what he’s doing has to be an inspiration to any young player.’