It's difficult to envisage how things could get much better for
Wayne Rooney. Winning goals in Madrid in May and Johannesburg in
July would probably do it, but nevertheless, the Manchester United
striker is enjoying the richest vein of form of his career and has
got the world talking about just how much of an impact he can make
at this year's finals in South Africa.
The Champions League has history of bringing out both the best
and worst in Rooney, from a scintillating hat-trick on his Old
Trafford debut against Fenerbahce in 2004, to a petulant red card
against Villarreal in the group stages in 2005 - the only season in
which United have been eliminated before the knockout rounds in the
past 14 years.
On Tuesday, in a 4-0 demolition of a Milan side that just three
years ago sent United packing at the semi-final stage, Rooney again
demonstrated why he is fast becoming the favourite to usurp Lionel
Messi as the world's best player. It was the latest in a series of
headed goals, something that he credits to both practice and
favourable follicles.
"It was a great performance by us," Rooney said on the
FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour. "I think AC Milan are
one of the great teams and to beat them 4-0 is a great achievement
for us, so obviously I'm happy with the result. Of course [I
practice a lot], I think probably it's coming off my bald patch and
that's helping me score! But of course I've been working on my
heading a lot and thankfully that's paying off."
Rooney's impressive goal haul this season has vindicated those
who have called for him to play in the position in which he has
been most comfortable since playing on the parks of Merseyside as a
youngster - an out-and-out striker. And it seems Sir Alex Ferguson
may have been watching the way England boss Fabio Capello deployed
Rooney in that very position, after seeing him plunder nine goals
in World Cup qualifying.
"I think I've been in the box a lot more" Rooney explained.
"I've been working on my timing and on my finishing and I've also
played up front in every game this season when I've played - I
think that's definitely the main reason for me scoring a lot of
goals.
"I've played a lot of games up front on my own and when you're
the lone striker you know you have to stay up the pitch because you
need to be the focal point in your team. I'm not running back quite
as much but I'm doing all my work more in the opponents' half."
It is Capello who is rubbing his hands the most as he knows that
he has one of the most dangerous weapons at his disposal in South
Africa. Rooney admits that while he is fully focused on the task at
hand with United, it is difficult not to keep one eye on the
biggest spectacle in world football.
"You try not to think too much about the World Cup because you
need to do the job with your club first. But it's always there in
your mind and when it comes it's a dream to play for your country
in any competition and at the World Cup it's an unbelievable
feeling.
"I thought we played really well in our qualifying games and I
was a bit gutted that we lost the last game because it would have
been nice to go through the whole campaign and win every game so
that left a bit of a bad taste. But we played really well in the
qualifying campaign and we fully deserved to go through.
"I remember watching Michael Owen in 1998, his goal against
Argentina, I was still a young boy and I think when he scored that
goal, not just for myself, but for everyone in England, it was a
great feeling and a great moment. I watched it at my Nan's house -
whenever there was a World Cup on I'd sit around with all my family
and watch it, so to play in it knowing that my family will be there
or be watching it is a great feeling."
This year, Rooney hopes it will be he who steals the headlines
that were reserved for his current United team-mate 12 years ago,
and he is undoubtedly one of the players who has garnered the most
attention from opposition managers.
He has been described as "extra-special" by Australia coach Pim
Verbeek, "unstoppable" by Germany coach Joachim Low and "the
complete player" by Leonardo, after he saw the England striker net
four goals in two matches against his AC Milan side. But despite
all the praise, Rooney insists it is only the opinion of a select
few that matters to him, and was quick to point to the contribution
of his team-mates to his form.
"Obviously it's nice for top coaches to say good things about
you but if I'm being honest I don't really read into it too much. I
listen to my manager at England and my manager at Manchester
United, and my family and friends - if they tell me I'm doing well
I'll listen to them.
"My team-mates know for sure that I'm getting the goals but I
wouldn't be getting the goals without them so they've been a big
part of my success this year and hopefully we will be successful as
a team at the end of the year.
Over the past two years, it has been clear to see a change in
Rooney - but it is not simply because he has now been charged with
spearheading the United attack in the absence of the departed
Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes, the Portuguese forward's transfer to Real
Madrid has allowed him to be the focal point of the team, but more
than that, Rooney's temperament has mellowed, though crucially, he
has not lost his irrepressible energy and passionate approach to
playing the game.
He is clearly benefitting from better anger management, and
Rooney reveals that the birth of his first son, Kai, last November,
has given him even greater motivation to develop a calmer
persona.
"I think I've changed a lot over the last couple of years,
obviously becoming a father you have to change and you have to be a
role model to your son and someone he can look up to so that's what
I've done. He's been to a few games although he probably doesn't
know what's happening. The important thing for me was when he came
to watch at Everton - the two teams I've played for and the teams
who he'll support as well.
"It's something I'm looking forward to. I've got little cousins
who come to the games and you see what it means to them to watch
you play and for me to know that there watching me. When my son
comes to watch me every week it will be an amazing feeling and
something that I will be proud of.
Clearly enjoying both fatherhood and football, 2010 could
potentially be the most memorable of Rooney's 24 years, and though
he never likes to be too confident about his club and country's
chances of silverware, there's certainly nothing wrong with having
a little bit of optimism.
"We're in a great position with Man United, top of the league at
the minute and through to the quarter-finals of the Champions
League and obviously with England it's going well and we're
preparing right and hopefully by the time we meet up with England,
we'll have a great tournament and you never know, we might have
this [trophy] back at the end of the end of July."
Wayne Rooney was speaking at the London leg of the
FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, sponsored by
Coca-Cola.
