Rooney among best in the world

16 February 2010 09:51
Wayne Rooney is on the brink of joining the elite of world football. Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced the United striker is ready to be classed alongside the game's greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kaka. United's hopes rest with Rooney as they take on AC Milan at the San Siro tonight - and the 24-year-old is in the form of his life, with a career best 23 goals already this season. He is already being tipped for the PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards and is destined to be on the short list of the Fifa World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or honours. He is also carrying the hopes of England on his shoulders in the World Cup in South Africa in the summer - and Fergie believes his hitman has never played better. "Rooney has been fantastic and he has developed that aura," he said. "The way you write about him, he must be God! "His form has brought him to the high point of his career, without a doubt. The point he is at is encouraging. World class is a misused term, but with Rooney, you have to say he is getting to the point where he is now one of the best players in the world. "United build up heroes very quickly. Players like Rooney will be that kind of player." Although he came from Everton, United fans will always look at him as one of the players who has grown up with us because he came here as a 17-year-old and has developed with us. We are peculiar like that because the players, like Beckham, who come through the ranks are always viewed as better than those you buy. Rooney has taken on the mantle of replacing Ronaldo as United's talisman this season and believes the departure of the Portuguese winger has brought the best out of him. This has been my best season so far as a professional, I am playing well, and scoring more goals, he said. I'm just working really hard in training, each day my aim is to try and get a little bit better and work on lots of different things in my game, and it seems to be happening for me at the moment. I've just become a more clinical striker, I'm taking up better positions and taking my chances now, and I reckon it is all about spending more time in the penalty box, getting right in there and getting on the end of the ball. All my goals have been scored in the penalty box this season, whereas before I got a few from outside it too. The difference is I'm playing up front instead of Ronaldo now, whereas before I might be put out wide. The truth is I'm loving being the main striker up front on my own, that is my favourite position. I'm enjoying having more of that responsibility this season, I know it's there, but it doesn't bother me at all, I like having it, but wherever I play I have always given my all, it's the only way I know how to play. Both United and Milan have lost players ranked as the world's best since the two last faced each other in the Champions League in 2007. Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo were on opposite sides three years ago, but now both reside at Real Madrid. And despite Rooney's inspired form this season, Ferguson still rates his former winger as the world's greatest right now. They're two great players. Only Milan can answer how they have coped without Kaka, he said. But I think Ronaldo is the best player in the world. I'm biased, though. You have to get around it, recover from it and move on. You can't sit around and complain about not having him. We have too much importance to worry about a player who leaves. You have to move on and we have moved on, but he was a marvellous player for us. Rooney was part of the United side who were trounced 3-0 at the San Siro in the semi final in 2007, but has enjoyed tremendous success in the Champions League since then reaching back-to-back finals and winning the competition in 2008. While last year's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona evokes painful memories, he says he will draw on the success against Chelsea in Moscow as he bids to inspire United to a third successive final. It was a weird night last year, he said. It was obviously an achievement to get there, but then it was just a horrible, horrible feeling losing to Barcelona. The memory of that night has made me determined to get back there again. But, actually, what motivates me even more is the previous season when we won the final in Moscow, the feeling after that game was something special, probably the best moment of my career so far, and I want to experience it again. Rooney, like the rest of his United team-mates, can't wait to face former Old Trafford hero, David Beckham. David has changed the way he plays from when he was younger, but he is still a quality player, and you know that when he gets the ball out wide more often then not it is going in the box and players can get on the end of it, he said. We will have to beware of his free-kicks and corners, those can be brilliant. Just like Ryan Giggs, David is an inspiration for how he has played at the top for so long. David is a very professional lad, he's done well, he's still a player young lads look up to and want to emulate. He's had a great career and is still going.

Source: Manchester_EveningNews