It's one thing to tell a front man to drop off and fill in the hole behind, but if they don't know why they are doing it, it is not an easy thing to teach. But Rooney's just got it.

What I'm not in the habit of doing, and I'm not going to do, is go around cap in hand pleading with players to play for their country.

We don't man-mark anybody. I have never, ever done it in 27 years as a manager and I would never do it.

Rooney has those things that you cannot teach players - the positions he takes up just behind the front men is a European trait.

I don't like champagne, I don't smoke cigars, I haven't any real jewellery at all, apart from the 8 pieces of gold I picked up at Anfield, the most important relationship at a football club is not between the manager and the chairman, but the players and the fans.

Winning all the time is not necessarily good.

It's one thing to tell a front man to drop off and fill in the hole behind, but if they don't know why they are doing it, it is not an easy thing to teach. But Rooney's just got it.