Play me again, Sam
I’m a better player than when I was 18, Roo tells Allardyce
LONDON: Sam Allardyce will not be getting the old Wayne Rooney – the new England boss can expect a better one.
So says the man himself, who has backed Big Sam’s appointment as Three Lions manager. Allardyce wants Rooney to remain as his skipper. And the Manchester United star has hit back at critics who claim his best days are behind him by saying he is a more complete all-round player now.
Rooney, 30, said: “I think people always look back and say, ‘Am I the same Wayne Rooney who was 18?’. “Of course I am not. I am a different player. “Back then I was raw, I didn’t know the game as well as I do now. “Now I feel I am a better player all round. “Back then there were moments of just head down, go and do it. Now you think about the game more and I think I can bring a lot to the team.
“I don’t think anyone is the same at 18 and 30 but I feel good, I’ve always been confident in my abilities.
“In the last seven or eight years there have been doubters but it’s down to me to prove them wrong.”
Allardyce has vowed to stick by Rooney. And the England captain believes the new Three Lions boss will bring winning football back to the national side after another disappointing European Championship.
England won just one of their four games in France under Roy Hodgson, who quit after the Three Lions were knocked out courtesy of a 2-1 defeat by Iceland.
Rooney said of Allardyce: “I think it’s a good appointment for England.
“He will probably bring a different way of playing to England and hopefully it’s a good way and we can be successful under him.”
And asked if he is determined to carry on at international level, Rooney said: “It was asked of me after the Euros, but yes, I’ll be there.”
Right now, the 30-year-old is determined to make a success of the new era at United under Jose Mourinho.
He said: “I came to United because I wanted to work under Alex Ferguson.
“What Mourinho has done in football – in Spain, Italy and England – he is a manager who you want to play under because he is one of the best around and to learn from. “It’s going to be exciting for me to try and learn under a manager such as him.
“He is one of the best managers in world football and he has a clear idea of what he wants. I’m just looking forward to playing for him now.
“Jose has made very good signings and experienced players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has worked all over Europe. We have that experience back of players winning trophies.
“The young lads who came through last season, he will help them as well.
“So I feel we are in a good place at the minute and can give it a good go next season.”
Mourinho has already said he wants Rooney to operate in a No. 10 role behind the main striker.
Having been moved deeper at times under Louis van Gaal and with England, it is something he is looking forward to.
Rooney added: “He said to me about playing No. 10. That is something I’ve got to work on and get myself in the right position to score goals.
“As the striker in the last couple of seasons, it has been difficult with not creating many chances.
“It’s a different way of playing, a different manager, different ideas. If I can bring my qualities to this team, then I know I can create chances and score goals.”
Rooney is still hungry for goals and needs five more to passBobby Charlton’s record of 249 for United.
He has already broken Charlton’s record of 49 England goals – and now has 53 for his country.
Rooney said: “I have scored goals all through my career and have no doubt in my scoring ability.
“Hopefully, I can do that this season. It will be the same as the England record. “It will be a huge honour to become record scorer at this club. I have no doubt that it will happen this season.”
Rooney has spent 12 years with United. He will be honoured with a testimonial on Aug 3 at Old Trafford, with his first club Everton providing the opposition.
He said: “It has flown by. I am delighted to have been at this club for such a long time.
“And I am really pleased the club have granted me a testimonial, which will raise a lot of money for children’s charities.”