‘I would love to be England manager’

WAYNE ROONEY plans to buck the trend of multi-millionaire players quitting the game when they hang up their boots — by becoming a manager. Revealing his coaching ambitions as he prepared to make his 100th appearance for England in today’s home clash against Slovenia, he said: ‘It would be a big call, at this age, to say I wanted to be England manager one day — but I would love to go into management. ‘I would just want to get a job somewhere when I finish playing, hopefully, and see how it progresses from there.’ At 29, the Manchester United striker has time on his side — and says his more immediate ambition is to win a World Cup before he retires. But the fact that a player of his standing is thinking about working his way through the management ranks is refreshing at a time when many current managers are concerned that today’s top stars prefer the security of TV work to learning how to be a boss by working in the lower Leagues. England’s head coach Roy Hodgson has lost Leighton Baines to a hamstring injury for the Slovenia and Scotland games but will play his strongest team available this evening on a special occasion for Rooney. He claimed the forward is one of the country’s ‘greats’, and added: ‘If you allow me to dismiss the technical and tactical qualities, you have to be a very good player. ‘Even with the England team, who don’t have as many players as in the past, we still have a lot. It takes a lot of mental strength. You have to be prepared for periods when you’re under severe scrutiny. ‘The mental strength and passion to play for your country is important if you’re going to be a major player. Ashley (Cole), Steven (Gerrard), Frank (Lampard) and now Wayne Rooney — I’d put all of those in that (great) category.’ Meanwhile, Hodgson’s fears about the Wembley surface, after three American Football matches in recent weeks, were realised when the Slovenians trained inside the stadium last night and claimed the centre of the pitch was ‘completely ruined’. A member of their backroom team said: ‘The centre of the pitch is ruined. There is a 10 metre square where there is no grass at all.’ ENGLAND (probable, 4-2-3-1): Hart; Clyne, Cahill, Jagielka, Gibbs; Henderson, Wilshere; Sterling, Rooney, Lallana; Welbeck. Kick-off: 5pm, Wembley Stadium. TV & Radio: LIVE on ITV1 and BBC Radio 5. Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal).