Jose Mourinho: Manchester United manager vows 'never' to force Wayne Rooney to drop deep into midfield

Rooney was deployed by former England manager Roy Hodgson in midfield

(Getty)

Jose Mourinho has revealed that he will “never” allow Wayne Rooney to drop deep at Manchester United like he did during England’s disastrous campaign at Euro 2016.

The 30-year-old was deployed by former England manager Roy Hodgson in midfield to facilitate for Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy to start intermittently in attacking positions.

But Mourinho, speaking at his first press conference since replacing Loious van Gaal at Old Trafford, said: “I think in football there are many jobs on the field. I think the one that is more difficult to find is the man who puts the ball in the net.

“The players change throughout the years. It is normal that a player at this age changes a little bit. But there is something that will never change... his appetite to put the ball in the net.

“So maybe he is not a striker any more, not a No. 9 anymore, but for me he will never me a No.6. He will never play 50 metres away from the goal.

“Yes, his passing is amazing but my passing is also amazing with no pressure. For me, he will be a No. 9, a No.10 and No.9-and-a-half.”

Discussing the expectation that comes with being United manager, the former Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and two-time Chelsea boss added: "When people have year after year on a certain kind of menu, the menu has to change for better and not for worse. For Manchester United fans success was routine.

"The last three years? I want to forget them. We have to do better. What is to do better? To finish fourth is not the aim. I am 53, I am not 73. Maybe you are tired of me because I started young but I am not an old manager.

"I was in trouble for the last five months [out of work], the first month was fine, the second month not so good, the months after was a disaster."