Big Interview - Wayne Rooney: 'I feel unstoppable'
By Martin Lipton
One hundred days to go and the eyes of the nation - and indeed the world - are on him.
But if any of England’s World Cup rivals were looking for signs of nervousness or tension in Wayne Rooney, they were in the wrong place last night.
Fresh from his Carling Cup-winning performance at Wembley, Rooney cannot wait to get back to the shimmering arch and take on Egypt tomorrow.
And where others who have carried the burden of England expectation have wilted under that pressure, Rooney has never looked more intense, never seemed fresher, never appeared more determined to show he truly is special.
“I do feel unstoppable,” said Rooney, echoing the judgement made by Germany coach Joachim Loew of him in Sun City last week.
“I feel good. I feel every game I play I am going to score.
“It is a massive last few months of the season with Manchester United. Hopefully that will go well and then you have to focus and prepare for the World Cup.
“I will be focusing the best I can. I won’t let anything distract me.
“It was good for me to see what so many World Cup coaches said about me and I hope I can make a difference for England at the World Cup.
“I know that if I have a good World Cup we will have a chance of doing well.
“Now I think I am ready. It cannot be as bad as before 2006, which was a a bit weird, with the team preparing for the tournament while most days the focus was on whether I would be fit.
“I don’t feel any pressure. I have had to deal with pressure since I was 16. You get used to it. I deal with it in a way I feel comfortable.
“What I will do is try and play my best, give my all. I am ready for the World Cup. I am in the best form of my life. I am ready.”
The smile and anticipation underlined Rooney’s claims.
This has, already, been the most productive campaign of his career, with 28 goals - including the Community Shield - for United plus an England strike in the rout of Croatia that confirmed their berth in South Africa.
But more important is the way he has flourished under the extra strain of filling the double Old Trafford void left by the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, operating in whatever role is asked of him by Sir Alex Ferguson and delivering with stunning consistency.
The development of Rooney as a scorer of great headed goals in the manner of a new era Alan Shearer has been the biggest surprise of all, far more so than his crowning as the England fans’ Player of 2009.
Being FIFA World Player of 2010 is the goal Rooney has set himself and even if his form for United as the focal point of the attack suggests he could now operate in that role for England, the Scouser will undertake whatever job Capello tasks him with.
“I’m sure it could work with me up front and Stevie Gerrard behind but that’s the manager’s decision if he wants to play that,” added Rooney.
“But if he wants to play the formation he has been playing, then again, no problems.
“Of late for England I have played just behind Emile [Heskey] and I have scored a few goals. I have played a lot further up for United and saved my energy for when the ball comes near the box and that is working as well.
“Either works, really. I am happy whatever.
“Maybe in the past I was dropping deep and probably trying to play players in more rather than getting in the box. Now I am getting in the box and it is easier to score.
“We have been working on that at United for a few years and it has got better. Since we lost Ronaldo and Tevez it is something I have had to do more.
“The heading is something I have been working on for the last couple of years. This year, with Antonio Valencia, the delivery has been better than previous years.
“My movement and timing has got better. It has all come together and that is probably why I am scoring more with my head.”
Of course, while Rooney is blossoming, the same cannot be said of many of his team-mates, suffering from problems of mind and body and which brought a final warning from Capello when the squad gathered at their Hertfordshire base.
Rooney vowed: “I don’t think what has happened in the last few months will have an affect. The players are professional enough to do a job on the pitch and that is the main thing.
“Yes, there have been a few injuries with big players for us. Hopefully Ashley comes back from his ankle injury in time and we can get Rio back fit while I think Aaron Lennon is a massive player for us.
“Now it is about preparation for the World Cup. We need to look at different tactics. Against Brazil we deservedly were beaten but now we’re getting back together as a squad and we want to win.”
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