Spain v England: Rooney takes break as Hodgson explores options

Tonight’s encounter at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez in Alicante promises to be an interesting test following England’s qualification cakewalk, especially as Hodgson plans to make a number of changes for this match and Tuesday’s equally glamorous friendly against France.

Rooney is set to start against the Euro 2016 hosts at Wembley, but the England captain will be reduced to a watching brief against Spain.

“We are going to use the two games to look at various combinations, various groups of players playing together,” said Hodgson.

“In some ways it will be good if we can spare players when possible having to play two games at this stage of the season and it will be good for me to see how various combinations are developing.

“Obviously, at the front we have Wayne, Jamie Vardy, Harry Kane and Ross Barkley – there are combinations there that interest me.

“And at the back, with the centre-backs for example, there are very interesting combinations, so we’re likely to be making changes in that respect.

“I can say now that Wayne is with me today because he is the captain of our team and the most important figure as a result, but he actually won’t start the game.

“I am telling you that because Wayne and I are very anxious that we are not trying to fool anyone or bamboozle them by the fact he has sat alongside me today and when the team sheet comes out tomorrow he might not be on it.

“That’s for the very simple reason that, as I said at the start, we are looking for various combinations amongst that group of four players and Wayne in actual fact is pencilled in to play the game against France on Tuesday.”

It was a surprise announcement but a move that Rooney, who has not started from the bench since last June’s World Cup dead rubber against Costa Rica, understood.

“I think it is important, especially in these games, that the manager has a chance to see as many players as he can before the tournament in the summer,” said the England captain.

“Obviously as a player you want to play, but you have to understand that there are bigger things to consider in terms of tournament football.

“Hopefully, the lads who come in can do well and give the manager something to think about.”

Hodgson was coy when asked whether Gary Cahill would again deputise as captain, but was more forthcoming when it came to Jamie Vardy’s fitness.

The former Halifax Town striker’s rise shows no signs of abating and he joined up with the national squad buoyed by scoring in a ninth successive Premier League match.

However, Vardy sustained a knock in Leicester’s win against Watford and is likely to miss out against the reigning European champions as a result.

“We don’t have a clean bill of health, unfortunately,” he said. “Jamie Vardy is struggling with a knock that he picked up on Saturday.

“We are monitoring it, we are still working on it, but it looks unlikely at this moment in time that he will be able to play tomorrow.”

Rooney has been impressed by Vardy’s “incredible” start to the season, but believes in Kane, Barkley and company that England still have enough to get a positive result in Spain.

“Not only Jamie, I think Harry Kane has come into a really good period of form, scoring goals for Tottenham,” added Rooney.

“We’ve got good options in terms of the forward players we’ve got and it’s a challenge for us all.

“We all want to play the games and, hopefully, we can give the manager something to think about in our performances.”

Diego Costa is not the most popular player outside of Chelsea, but Rooney is a big fan of the controversial Blues and Spain striker.

Costa has earned a reputation as something of a wind-up merchant due to his attempts to get under defenders’ skin.

Arsenal defender Gabriel was sent off earlier this season for clashing with the 27-year-old and he tried to provoke Ryan Shawcross during Chelsea’s defeat to Stoke last weekend by grabbing the centre-back’s jaw before telling him rather impolitely that he had bad body odour.

Rooney admits there is something to admire about the Brazil-born forward’s antics, however.

“I actually voted for him as player of the year last season because I think he was a huge player for Chelsea,” the England captain said of Costa, who scored 20 goals in his maiden season for the Blues.

“I think what Chelsea missed the season before was that fight up front and he gave them that and I strongly believe that’s why they became champions.

“Obviously it hasn’t gone as well as it did last season for him but I think he is a fantastic player.

“He’s a fighter and I think that’s part of his game and it’s going to be very difficult for anyone to ask him not to do that.”