Manchester United and former Everton attacker Wayne Rooney has admitted he has modelled his midfield style on Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Rooney has moved into a deeper midfield role for both club and country over the past season, with the England captain putting in impressive performances in both of their opening Euro 2016 fixtures.
And the United skipper was always planning to move further back the pitch later in his career, and has been watching the likes of Gerrard and Paul Scholes throughout in order to pick up aspects of their play.
“It was always going to happen,” Rooney said, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. “I think I said it when I was about 24 that one day I would go back into midfield and that has happened over the last couple of months.
“I have played with some of the best midfielders England has produced in Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes and I’m not so naive to play with those players and not notice what they were doing, knowing that one day I would be playing in that position.
“I have watched them when playing with them and training with them and I have tried to take bits from each of them and add my own way of playing.”
Rooney has been integral to Roy Hodgson’s set-up at the European Championships in France, and has already created eight chances over the group games – the most of any player in the England squad.
Already England’s all-time record goalscorer with 52, Rooney’s adapted role has opened up positions for the likes of Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy, while 18-year-old Marcus Rashford has also emerged as a frontman for both the national side and United.
With an average passing accuracy of 88% over the tournament so far, Rooney’s composure on the ball has helped the Three Lions maintain possession in their games against Russia and Wales, with only central-midfield partner Eric Dier (115) completing more successful passes than the 30-year-old (114) for England.
COMMENTS