Rooney reveals his plan to be more selfish in pursuit of England goals

United striker offers veiled criticism of Ferguson's tactics to play him on left of midfield

(PA)

Wayne Rooney said yesterday that after months spent sacrificing his best attacking instincts for Manchester United, he was ready to be more selfish with England. The striker is expected to start against Kazakhstan tomorrow in his favourite role behind the main striker rather than the left midfield position that Sir Alex Ferguson uses him in.

Speaking at length for the first time since United's Champions League final defeat, Rooney said that he preferred the position that Fabio Capello had found for him with England to his left-sided role with United. There is no doubt that Rooney has flourished in that position this season, especially against Porto and Arsenal away in the Champions League, but it was from the right and left wings that he was unable to make an impact against Barcelona in Rome.

"As a forward player, you need to be selfish if you're going to score the goals you want," Rooney said. "It's a team game and I love playing for the team. I've done that for many years, now. But maybe I do need to be more selfish if I'm going to be playing in the role I want to be playing. It's something I want to do if I'm going to be playing up front, and maybe I'll have to be more selfish playing in that role.

"Of course, the position I play for England is – as I've said – the one I like playing most. Obviously, I haven't played that position for a while for United. Of course it's the manager's choice, but I've always said my best position is playing up front. So I'm enjoying doing that.

"When you're playing out on the left, you have responsibilities to get back and defend a bit more down the left. And, sometimes, that does take away a bit of energy from your attacking. But, with England, you can get your rest at times by swapping with Steven [Gerrard]. That allows you to get forward as well. But I'm happy to play where I'm playing."

Rooney has been at his best playing in a formation of Capello's that is effectively 4-3-2-1 with the United man in a pair with Gerrard behind either Emile Heskey or Peter Crouch. He scored twice in the friendly against Slovakia but struggled more against Ukraine in the World Cup qualifier on 1 April when one of his most notable contributions was a bad challenge on Oleksandr Aliiev.

Nevertheless, Rooney said yesterday that, with five goals in the World Cup qualifiers so far, he found playing for England a better experience now than under previous regimes. "I'm enjoying playing for England a lot more," he said. "It's been a bit frustrating in previous times but, at this moment, I'm enjoying it more than ever. I've got a lot more experience now in international football.

"At times, [I got frustrated at] the way we played. We weren't as good as we all thought. There were a lot of expectations and we didn't deliver. That was frustrating. Now, the way we're playing makes you enjoy it, as well as winning. You always enjoy it when you're winning. The manager's a strong manager and his demands on us are obvious.

"I'm wary now. In previous tournaments, two years before the tournament we've gone into them saying 'We've got to win this or that'. We didn't get close. We're aware of that now. We know what work we need to do. If we can prepare right and work hard, hopefully we'll do well."

From training, Heskey looked more likely to start ahead of Crouch tomorrow after missing the match against Ukraine with injury. It will be Robert Green in goal in England's sixth World Cup qualifier and the worst tackle did not come from Rooney but the Bolton new boy Gary Cahill who clattered into Gareth Barry.

The note of caution from Rooney was his discussion of England's World Cup prospects, especially against Spain, who he described as "the best team in the world". Rooney missed the chastening experience England suffered in Seville in February, a 2-0 defeat and a complete lesson in passing, but he endured much the same at the hands of Barcelona in Rome. He said that his team would have to find another way to beat the likes of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.

"It'll be difficult to beat them, but we've got to try and defend, be solid and counter-attack," he said. "If you try and play football against them, they'll destroy you because they're the masters of that kind of football."

It will be Rooney's 51st cap tomorrow and he does not turn 24 until October. With 21 goals for England already, he is on course to break Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 49, providing his international career does not stall as Michael Owen's has of late. Rooney was polite about his former strike partner yesterday, but he chose to take his lead from Ryan Giggs, still going strong at 35.

"There have been games in the last few months I've played well in, and others where I should have done better. I'd love to be the leading England goalscorer. I'm still a long way away, but it's something I've got in my mind and I'd be privileged to become that."