PRODIGY ROONEY GROWING UP
In the fast-track world of Wayne Rooney, the Player to Watch tag could be considered a good three years too late. All eyes have been on the young Manchester United and England striker ever since 17 August 2002 when he made his debut for his boyhood club, Everton. Indeed his first senior goal of any description, in an Everton pre-season friendly against Austrian minnows SC Bruck earlier that summer, prompted an excited stadium announcer to declare: "The third Everton goal is scored by Wayne Rooney, who many believe will be England's next Alan Shearer!" But where Shearer was 21 when he made his England debut, Rooney – who today celebrates his 20th birthday – has already become his country's key player.
His first goal in the English Premiership, a spectacular last-minute strike that ended then champions Arsenal's 30-match unbeaten run in October 2002, signalled that with Rooney anything is possible. Just as defenders bounce off his stocky boxer's frame, so Rooney sends records tumbling. He beat James Prinsep's 124-year record as England's youngest player when he made his debut against Australia on 12 February 2003 aged 17 years and 111 days. Seven months later, he became England's youngest ever scorer when – aged 17 years and 317 days – he struck the opening goal in a UEFA European Championship qualifying win away to FYR Macedonia.
It was, of course, at the European Championship in Portugal the following summer that the world at large woke up to the sheer scale of Rooney's talents. Playing without fear, he struck plenty of it into opposition defences with his thrilling runs from deep, scoring four goals as England defeated Switzerland and Croatia to reach the quarter-finals. The 18-year-old was making international football look like child's play.
There followed a £27million move to Manchester United and a remarkable debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce in October last year, since when Rooney, whom his peers voted Young Player of the Year in the spring, has swiftly become Mr Indispensable at Old Trafford. The same, of course, applies with England. Michael Owen recently described Rooney's game as "running at people, playing in that hole, shooting from distance, passing the ball, bits of skill". Just about everything, in other words.
He excelled in central defence in a Young v Old match during one England practice session this month and even enjoys trying his luck in goal on the training ground. In the words of England legend Sir Bobby Charlton to FIFAworldcup.com: "He has a marvellous appetite for the game."
The question then as Rooney steps out of his teens is just how good he can become. Sir Alex Ferguson said on signing him for United that Rooney was "the best young player this country has seen in 30 years" but while his ability is not in doubt, the youngster's temperament has been. In the 2003/04 season at Everton he picked up more bookings than goals, and twice in the last 12 months has lost his cool completely on England duty.
England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson substituted Rooney before half-time against Spain last November to spare him what appeared an inevitable dismissal. A second red-mist moment came during the defeat by Northern Ireland in September when, after collecting a yellow card, Rooney – seemingly frustrated at being played out on the left flank - swore at his captain David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand before disappearing into his shell in the second half. Rooney was sent off later in September playing for Manchester United against Villarreal for his sarcastic applause of referee Kim Milton Nielsen, yet while there is an undoubted edge to his game, it must also be acknowledged he is still growing up.
Sir Bobby Charlton, who as a director at Old Trafford has watched Rooney closely over the past 12 months, believes he will learn from his mistakes. "He's got a reputation for being a bit of a hothead but he is not," he told FIFAworldcup.com at the English National Football Museum's annual Hall of Fame dinner last week. "He learns and he'll learn very quickly and all the things that people say about him and the problems he has with referees they'll not last very long. He's a smart lad and he loves playing football so he'll not jeopardise that by being sent off. He'll realise. But he has a marvellous appetite for the game, loves playing and wants to win and you can't complain about that."
Rooney has only scored one of his ten goals for England since EURO 2004 – and that in August's 4-1 friendly loss to Denmark – but he is the man their opponents will fear most at the FIFA World Cup™ finals. Sir Bobby is not surprised by his importance to Eriksson's side. "He's a great player and they won't be denied, great players." Such praise from one of the game's greats strengthens the conviction that Rooney really will be one of the players to watch in Germany next summer. (FIFAworldcup.com)
His first goal in the English Premiership, a spectacular last-minute strike that ended then champions Arsenal's 30-match unbeaten run in October 2002, signalled that with Rooney anything is possible. Just as defenders bounce off his stocky boxer's frame, so Rooney sends records tumbling. He beat James Prinsep's 124-year record as England's youngest player when he made his debut against Australia on 12 February 2003 aged 17 years and 111 days. Seven months later, he became England's youngest ever scorer when – aged 17 years and 317 days – he struck the opening goal in a UEFA European Championship qualifying win away to FYR Macedonia.
It was, of course, at the European Championship in Portugal the following summer that the world at large woke up to the sheer scale of Rooney's talents. Playing without fear, he struck plenty of it into opposition defences with his thrilling runs from deep, scoring four goals as England defeated Switzerland and Croatia to reach the quarter-finals. The 18-year-old was making international football look like child's play.
There followed a £27million move to Manchester United and a remarkable debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce in October last year, since when Rooney, whom his peers voted Young Player of the Year in the spring, has swiftly become Mr Indispensable at Old Trafford. The same, of course, applies with England. Michael Owen recently described Rooney's game as "running at people, playing in that hole, shooting from distance, passing the ball, bits of skill". Just about everything, in other words.
He excelled in central defence in a Young v Old match during one England practice session this month and even enjoys trying his luck in goal on the training ground. In the words of England legend Sir Bobby Charlton to FIFAworldcup.com: "He has a marvellous appetite for the game."
The question then as Rooney steps out of his teens is just how good he can become. Sir Alex Ferguson said on signing him for United that Rooney was "the best young player this country has seen in 30 years" but while his ability is not in doubt, the youngster's temperament has been. In the 2003/04 season at Everton he picked up more bookings than goals, and twice in the last 12 months has lost his cool completely on England duty.
England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson substituted Rooney before half-time against Spain last November to spare him what appeared an inevitable dismissal. A second red-mist moment came during the defeat by Northern Ireland in September when, after collecting a yellow card, Rooney – seemingly frustrated at being played out on the left flank - swore at his captain David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand before disappearing into his shell in the second half. Rooney was sent off later in September playing for Manchester United against Villarreal for his sarcastic applause of referee Kim Milton Nielsen, yet while there is an undoubted edge to his game, it must also be acknowledged he is still growing up.
Sir Bobby Charlton, who as a director at Old Trafford has watched Rooney closely over the past 12 months, believes he will learn from his mistakes. "He's got a reputation for being a bit of a hothead but he is not," he told FIFAworldcup.com at the English National Football Museum's annual Hall of Fame dinner last week. "He learns and he'll learn very quickly and all the things that people say about him and the problems he has with referees they'll not last very long. He's a smart lad and he loves playing football so he'll not jeopardise that by being sent off. He'll realise. But he has a marvellous appetite for the game, loves playing and wants to win and you can't complain about that."
Rooney has only scored one of his ten goals for England since EURO 2004 – and that in August's 4-1 friendly loss to Denmark – but he is the man their opponents will fear most at the FIFA World Cup™ finals. Sir Bobby is not surprised by his importance to Eriksson's side. "He's a great player and they won't be denied, great players." Such praise from one of the game's greats strengthens the conviction that Rooney really will be one of the players to watch in Germany next summer. (FIFAworldcup.com)
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