Rooney - My best years are ahead

14 May 2010 07:58

Wayne Rooney maintains there is more to come from him, for both club and country, after collecting the 2010 Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award on Thursday night.

The 24-year-old Manchester United and England striker topped the poll of journalists with just over 81% of a record number of votes cast, finishing ahead of Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and Manchester City's Carlos Tevez to win the prestigious accolade, which has been running since 1948.

"I am only 24. Hopefully I can progress and the best years are still ahead of me," he said. "I am always learning every day, and take things in from all my team-mates, both at United and with England. As a player you are never the finished article. I want to keep learning and getting better."

Both United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and England manager Fabio Capello were present to watch Rooney, who led Manchester United's ultimately unsuccessful challenge to Chelsea for the Barclays Premier League title, receive his award at the FWA's gala dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel.

Rooney, who is recovering from a niggling groin problem, scored 34 goals in all competitions and is integral to England's World Cup hopes in South Africa.

Rooney felt it was a privilege to follow in the likes of World Cup winners Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton to be named Footballer of the Year. The striker admitted he could not see a future outside the game and revealed he intended to stay involved in the game for many years to come.

"I would like to [step into management]," Rooney said. "I started doing my coaching badges this year, and probably did not do as many classes as I would have liked.

"Hopefully I can continue them next year.

"I love football and enjoy football - I can't see myself running a restaurant, I want to be in football."

Source: PA