Fergie backs Rooney progress

29 September 2009 16:31
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is backing Wayne Rooney to break into the top bracket of world footballers. The 23-year-old striker looks set to make his 50th UEFA Champions League appearance for the club as United host German side Wolfsburg on Wednesday night. Rooney marked his debut with a hat-trick in the Champions League in a 6-2 win over Fenerbahce in September 2004, and five years on Ferguson insists he has the ingredients to become the best in the business. "He's blessed with certain ingredients that only great footballers have," he said. "It's the determination and hunger to win every match, every time he goes on the field, every training session. "He's blessed with that and it'll never change for him. They're wonderful things to take into football. "We sometimes wonder with the criticism about what footballers get paid but when you see that effort he puts in, he's worth every penny he's paid because he plays as if he means it." After the £80million sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, Rooney has been reinstalled as a centre forward having played most of last season out wide. ChangeThe change has sparked a return to goalscoring form for the England striker with six goals to his name already this term, but Ferguson believes he has the will to play anywhere. "He's been playing more central and he'll play centrally against Wolfsburg. But he's a funny animal, he says he's a good centre half. I wouldn't bet against that," he added. "He's got great desire and he can't put that down. It's always there. "There are some great footballers out there like Kaka, Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi. They're the three best players in the world and Wayne could easily get to that level with the right progress." Ferguson is wary of Wolfsburg's threat as the German champions take on the English champions in Group B. Both sides go into the game with three points to their name, with the German outfit edging top spot on goal difference, and the United boss will not underestimate them. "Germany's a great football nation," he said. Threat"It says a lot for Wolfsburg's position and progress that they did win the league last year and they did it in a very positive way with the goalscoring form they showed. "They beat Bayern Munich 5-1 with only four or five games remaining and they won their final game 4-0 - that's emphatic. "Countries like Germany are always (producing clubs) capable of winning the Champions League. "Yes, the last few years it has been dominated by the English teams in the semi finals and finals but there is always the possibility that someone else can come in to win the Champions League. "If you take the final between Porto and Monaco just a few years ago, it's a case in point."

Source: SKY_Sports