‘Big man’ is back with more mature outlook

When Wayne Rooney arrived late at the 2006 World Cup in Germany he famously stretched his arms out wide and announced himself to the assembled England squad by saying: “The big man is back.”

Now, six years on, he’s doing it again; and although the impudent Liverpudlian grin is the same, there seems to be a greater maturity behind it as he prepares to face the Ukraine tomorrow.

That might seem a strange thing to say given the reason for Rooney’s delayed arrival at Euro 2012 is a needless red card picked up in a qualifier in Montenegro which left him with a two-match ban and prevented him from playing against France or Sweden.