LONDON // Wayne Rooney will make his 100th England appearance on Saturday when Roy Hodgson’s side attempt to extend their 100 percent record in Euro 2016 qualifying at home to Slovenia.
The Manchester United striker, 29, will lead the team out at Wembley Stadium accompanied by his two young sons, Kai and Klay, as he becomes the ninth England player to take his number of caps into three figures.
Rooney is on course to break former goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s 125-cap appearance record and is also only six goals short of Bobby Charlton’s England scoring record of 49 goals.
Read more: Set to be England centurion, United’s Wayne Rooney has ‘incredible maturity’
But having failed to shine for England at a major tournament since making his breakthrough at Euro 2004, he accepts he still has to prove himself worthy of comparison with World Cup winners such as Charlton.
“To get 100 caps for England, there’s not many players who have done it,” Rooney writes in the programme for Saturday’s match.
“It would be a great achievement. I’ll be proud to join that club and it is something that myself and my family would be honoured by.
“But I could sit here saying I’ve got 200 caps and 100 goals for my country, but the ultimate is to win a trophy and that’s what we all want to do.
“That’s why we play football, to win. That’s the target and hopefully sometime soon we can achieve that.”
He adds: “Obviously I’m not going to be as big a legend as Sir Bobby Charlton -- he’s won the World Cup with England -- so to eclipse that I’d have to win the World Cup, which would be a massive achievement.”
After their group-phase exit at the World Cup, England have taken control of Group E by winning their first three games without conceding a goal and will be looking to record a record-equalling sixth clean sheet.
With Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge still sidelined by a calf problem, Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck is expected to hold on to his place up front alongside former United colleague Rooney.
Raheem Sterling is in line for a recall at the tip of Hodgson’s midfield diamond, having contentiously started last month’s 1-0 win in Estonia on the bench after reportedly complaining of fatigue.
Arsenal winger Theo Walcott and 20-year-old Everton playmaker Ross Barkley are both back in the squad after spells on the sidelines, while West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino will hope to win his first cap.
Michael Carrick and Andros Townsend have been forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury, but both players were more likely to have featured in England’s friendly with Scotland in Glasgow on Tuesday anyway.
Rooney’s Slovenia counterpart, visiting captain Bostjan Cesar, will also be celebrating a milestone as he stands to win his 81st cap, which will see him surpass Zlatko Zahovic as his country’s most-capped player.
The Chievo centre-back was injured by a tackle from Rooney when Slovenia last visited Wembley, in September 2009, and the 32-year-old says that he has not forgotten the incident.
“My memories aren’t the nicest. It wasn’t nice, what he did,” said Cesar. “But I’m not interested in Rooney; I’m interested in the match and our desire to avenge our two defeats against England.”
After a 1-0 loss in Estonia in their opening game, Srecko Katanec’s side won 1-0 at home to Switzerland and then recorded a 2-0 victory away to Lithuania, leaving them in second place in the group.
Talented Salzburg forward Kevin Kampl is a doubt due to injury, but 35-year-old striker Milivoje Novakovic is fit to lead the line and will look to add to his three goals in qualifying to date.
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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