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Rooney’s role under scrutiny after World Cup loss

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — As so often with England, a setback on the pitch has provoked renewed scrutiny of Wayne Rooney’s contribution. Or lack of it.

For all the dynamism of England’s youngsters going forward in the 2-1 loss to Italy in their World Cup opener, Rooney’s lack of real influence on the game stood out in Manaus on Saturday.

Credit to the Manchester United striker for setting up England’s only goal, providing the cross for Daniel Sturridge to equalize, but three of his own shots all went off target.

Rooney was shunted out to the left wing initially in an unsuccessful attempt to allow Raheem Sterling to limit Andrea Pirlo’s impact, but cut a frustrated figure.

“Obviously we lost the game but I was involved in the game, could have scored, created the goal and felt I had an influence,” Rooney said.

But many in the game said Hodgson got it wrong, from Rooney’s former United teammate, Rio Ferdinand, to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who both said Sunday that he should have been deployed as the center forward.

“There is always going to be one player with a big debate around, but I think it’s very harsh if people are going to criticize Rooney’s performance,” England coach Roy Hodgson said. “He certainly worked his socks off for us. It was particularly hot and humid.”

Although Rooney was outshone by younger, more exciting attacking players, Hodgson defended the player ahead of Thursday’s second Group D game against Uruguay.

“We want Wayne in the box and there’s no question we will get him in the box,” Hodgson said.

Would Hodgson dare to drop Rooney? Seeing a lineup without one of the Premier League’s best-paid players could galvanize Uruguay, but when it comes to tournaments the prodigy who set the 2004 European Championship alight has struggled to replicate that impact as an 18-year-old.

The 28-year-old Rooney might have scored 39 goals in 93 international appearances, but his ruthlessness in front of goal has been on the wane when representing the Three Lions. Rooney has netted just once in the last seven games, but bridled at suggestions he has a divine right to start.

“I’ve never felt that, I don’t know why you said that,” he told reporters. “Why would I feel my place in the team is guaranteed? I work hard to try and get in that team. I have never said my place is guaranteed. I don’t expect to play, I work hard. I want to play.”

England resumes full training on Monday before facing Uruguay, which had an unexpectedly poor start to the World Cup by losing 3-1 to Costa Rica. Although the defense might struggle to contain an attacking unit potentially featuring Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez, England is looking to its own electrifying players going forward to revive its campaign.

“If we take away the (Italy) result and look at some of the performances, the exciting players we had out on the pitch, the future is looking good but we have still got to do well in the present,” England defender Phil Jagielka said. “If we had lost and not gone for it and scored goals or created chances, these next two games would have looked bleak.

“Once we recover and look forward there will be a lot of positive things, and hopefully the camp will be confident to put in some good performances.”

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Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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