Source: Daily_Mail
Theo Walcott hails hat-trick hero Jermain Defoe as England get off to great start
Theo Walcott was delighted to see Jermain Defoe steal his mantle ofthe last player to score a hat-trick for England, hailinghis team-mate's complete performance against Bulgaria. Defoe plundered three of his country's goals in the 4-0 winat Wembley as their European Championship qualifying campaign got offto a flying start. Defoe must go on: Jermain Defoe (centre) celebrates with Theo Walcott (right) and Steven Gerrard It was the first international hat-trick of the 27-year-old's career, the first by an England player at the new Wembley, and the first treble since Walcott himself went goal crazy in Croatia almost two years earlier. 'Three fantastic goals and a great finisher,' winger Walcott said of Defoe. 'Every time he touched the ball, something was going to happen. 'Every time he went through on goal, you just thought he'd create something and that's what we want from our centre-forwards, to score goals and get people involved. 'He managed to do everything. I'm very happy for him.' All four of England's goals owed something to a revitalised Wayne Rooney, who shook off the early cobwebs that lingered from his dismal World Cup displays to produce a stellar performance in what was a deep-lying role. Three 'n' easy: Defoe (right) fires past Bulgaria's Ivan Ivanov to score his third Walcott said: 'He's claiming three and a half assists, I think. 'Itjust shows what different sides Wayne's got to his game - not just goals. 'He had a free role. I think that's one of his favourite positions, because he can do anything for the whole team.' Rooneyensured a flattering margin of victory for England, who broke with devastating effect after surviving a number of scares last night from their unfancied opponents.Goalkeeper Joe Hart was called upon on several occasions and continued to justify his status as his country's new number one, most notably moments before Defoe's second goal. On the run: Theo Walcott skips past Stiliyan Petrov at WembleyHailing Hart as 'fantastic', Walcott said: 'He kept us in the game there. If it goes 1-1, it could be a totally different game. 'It's moments like that in games that changes them.' England now head to Switzerland for Tuesday's second qualifier and Walcott believes their tails will be up after last night's win. 'It should boost us,' he said. 'Tremendous confidence now: 4-0, especially at home, clean sheet. 'We to go to Switzerland. Do the same things, and I'm sure we'll get the right result.'Asked if the team could finally look forward after the debacle of the World Cup, he added: 'We're always looking forward to every game. It's nice to gave a great start, clean sheet, 4-0. It's nice to be top of the board. 'Just looking forward to Switzerland now on Tuesday.' Hat's my boy: Three-goal Defoe vows to be fit for Swiss test after match-winning role against BulgariaJamie Redknapp's England watch: Cole shows the benefits of flying highMARTIN SAMUEL: At last a team that looks like England. what's changed?