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Lamps slams Rooney 'agenda'

Cape Town - Frank Lampard believes England's 'fixation' with Wayne Rooney is counterproductive to the national team's ambitions.

The Manchester United striker has long carried the hopes of the nation, although that pressure looks to have had a negative effect on the forward, who failed to find the back of the net at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

Rooney's first showing at this year's Brazil spectacular has again raised concerns over his ability to lead the Three Lions to glory, having produced a largely abject display in the 2-1 loss to Italy on Saturday.

And, ahead of Thursday's second round of Group D fixtures, against South America giants Uruguay, Lampard has spoken out against what he feels has "become an agenda".

"There has been a fixation with one player in every World Cup I've been involved in," he told a media conference on Tuesday. 

"It's frustrating when you're in a team group and that happens. There is a fixation on one player and rather than a debate. It becomes an agenda so I think we need to drop the agenda and look at the team, whoever plays. 

"Rooney is determined at every tournament. A lot of furore has been built up around him but I see the same Wayne. He wants to play well and give everything for the team.

"It's about a team performance. We didn't win the other night, but the minute you start trying to focus on individuals again and again and again it can be detrimental. Behind closed doors, we're trying to win games."

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