Rooney in extra training in bid to recapture form
Wayne Rooney is hoping some extra training will help trigger a revival in form.
Since returning from domestic and international suspensions earlier this month the Manchester United striker has struggled to reach anything like the level of performance which has been a hallmark of his fledgling career.
Rooney cut a disconsolate figure in Lisbon on Tuesday, when, stationed on the left wing, he barely made any impact in United’s Champions League triumph over Benfica.
At one stage the 20-year-old was berated by manager Alex Ferguson for giving possession away too cheaply before he was eventually replaced by Darren Fletcher five minutes from time.
The Old Trafford camp remain squarely behind the former Everton star, with assistant-manager Carlos Queiroz restating the unanimous verdict Rooney will soon be back to his best.
But, as preparations for Sunday’s Premiership encounter with Newcastle stepped up, Queiroz revealed Rooney did some additional work at United’s Carrington training complex in the hope of aiding his progress.
“Wayne finished training then stayed a while working alone because he knows he needs to do something,” said Queiroz.
“It is good he is conscious of making mistakes. It just means he comes in every day with a bigger and better desire to work more and more.
“Wayne has reached such a level in the past and the demands he puts on himself are so big, he does not have the right to be young when he performs.
“But, game by game, it will start to come right. The motivation and confidence will build up and I am sure he will be better against Newcastle.”
Queiroz believes Rooney’s lack of games since he suffered a broken metatarsal at Chelsea in April offers ’an explanation, but not an excuse’ for the striker’s current inconsistencies.
For once, the United camp are happy to release the former Everton star to England on the basis next week’s Euro 2008 double-header with Macedonia and Croatia will bring even more improvement.
Aside from expressing no fear about Rooney’s long-term prospects, Queiroz has also cautioned the former Everton star against demanding too much of himself too quickly, reinforcing the need for teamwork to come before individual gain.
“Sometimes young talents like Wayne think they need to prove everything in each minute of the game,” he said.
“They think they need to prove something in the first second and with their first touch. The first time they control the ball they feel the need to conquer the world.
“It takes time to learn they do not need to do that, that the team is more important.
“It is a natural part of the learning process which we can see here and in other teams, we can see it all over the world.”
While Rooney’s foot is now fully healed, Mikael Silvestre faces six weeks on the sidelines after suffering a similar injury against Arsenal earlier this month.
At least in Gabriel Heinze and Patrice Evra, Ferguson has two ready-made replacements at left-back.
Heinze is more likely to feature against Newcastle as United return to league action looking to arrest a slide that has brought them just a single point from their last two games.
The return is a worrying reminder of the dip the Red Devils suffered almost exactly 12 months ago, which ultimately cost them any chance of mounting a sustained challenge to Chelsea.
“At the moment it is not important to think about Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. It is important to know we cannot afford to drop points,” said Queiroz.
“After our experience of the last two years, the players know that and we know that.
“The one thing I guarantee, game after game, is that we will fight as much as we can to avoid losing points like we did at Reading last weekend.”
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