England ace still has some way to go.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted Wayne Rooney must improve his finishing if he is to become the best player in the world.The Red Devil has been in sensational form this season, bagging 20 goals in 26 games for the Premier League champions, yet Sir Alex still believes there is room for improvement.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, the Scot insisted Rooney was yet to reach the same level as: “[Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer and Andy Cole and [Ruud] van Nistelrooy. If he got to that level, he’d be the best in the world”.
The United boss also revealed he felt Rooney needed to improve his “predatory instincts in the penalty box”, but admitted he was confident the England international would develop his game further.
“All the great strikers, Denis Law, John Charles, had that courage to be in there [the penalty area], get the battering, take the hits, score the goals, be in the right place, at the right time. There’s more there, more to be developed, and I know he [Wayne Rooney] can do that,” explained Ferguson.
“When Rooney first came to us he was the best I’ve ever seen at turning round a defender and running at him. There was a period when he stopped doing that.
"So we spoke to him, took him in a couple of sessions after training, and said 'get back to turning on the defender'. It’s as if he’s walked in another door.
“He’s a one-off in terms of the modern type of fragile player we’re getting today cocooned by their agents, mothers and fathers, psychologists, welfare officers. Rooney’s a cut to the old days. His attitude is: ‘Give me the ball, I’ll tell you how good I am.”
Sir Alex also took time out to praise Rooney for his temperament and his off field demeanor.
“His temperament’s improved. He’s not rushing about doing the silly things,” added the 68-year-old.
“He’s a fantastic boy, he’d give you anything. He’d give you his last penny. He’s that type. I say to him - there’s someone here who wants to meet you, and he says ‘aye, no problem’.
"He’s so free with his time. He has these wonderful qualities that you don’t get a lot in people today. And I don’t think he will change. His wife [Coleen] seems exactly the same. She’s clued in, wise, clever, she listens.”
Get more news from the EPL with Goal.com's England page.
