Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney should be on the pitch for England at Euro 2016 but in a different role, according to former national team manager Fabio Capello.
Rooney was switched to the No. 10 position behind Marcus Rashford in United's 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday. There has been debate over the England captain's position in the national side, considering the impressive form of Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy in the Premier League this season.
Capello managed Rooney during a troubled spell for the national side, including a disappointing World Cup 2010 when they scraped through a weak group, then were thrashed by Germany.
Capello still rates the United striker. Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Berlin, the Italian said: "It's important to have him on the pitch because he understands the game well and he sets an example for the other players. This is a very important role he can play.
"He is changing. He will play not like a first forward, he will be like a second forward and his movement between the line of the defenders is important and he knows that movement really well.
"The problem for England is not the forwards. You've got a lot of centre-forwards -- you need to decide which one you need to stay home. The problem is with the defence, the lack of centre-backs."
Capello predicted that Rooney's recent two-month absence from the United side, with a knee problem, could actually help the national team -- but the former England manager thinks that others could be tired.
He said: "You can see the German players are fresh and arrive at the tournament always at their physical peak and that is important.
"The quality of the England players is good. When they played in December, it would be easy for us to win the games. After that, it's tired, tired, tired.
"If sometimes, some really important player, like Rooney, is injured then he will be at the top for the Euros -- but the big problem of England is that they are too tired."