Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has praised manager David Moyes for making him feel more settled at the club and for improving his fitness level.
The England international was left disillusioned last season, having been withdrawn deep into the midfield, just off Robin van Persie, by the immediate past manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
His disaffection for such role prompted several transfer speculations linking him away from Old Trafford over the summer.
The new manager has managed to restore the 27-year-old back to his preferred position and he has been in terrific form, scoring five times.
“You can see I’m playing and I’m happy in my football,” Rooney told reporters at England’s training ground ahead of Friday’s World Cup clash against Montenegro.
“David Moyes has come in and he’s playing me up front and I’m enjoying it.
Wayne Rooney celebrates Scoring Against Bayern Leverkusen in the Champions League.
“I really have been happy all summer. From the outside looking in, it might not seem like it but I’ve been settled.”
Last season’s fall-out with the retired Scot was triggered by the player’s inability to play regularly up front, and also, playing second fiddle. He became unsettled at the club and endured a summer of uncertainty and rumours.
All the while he acted professionally, eventually drawing plaudits from some of his pairs and coaches over the manner with which he went about his business amid the torrid times.
“I didn’t feel I got a consistent run of games up front,” Rooney, who joined the Manchester outfit in 2004 from Everton, said.
“I actually felt when I played midfield I did OK but I didn’t want to play there. I felt I deserved the right to play in my position and that wasn’t happening. I can play midfield. Maybe when I’m a bit older, losing my legs a bit, I can go back there.”
“Everyone at the club knew that’s where I wanted to play. That’s why I was disappointed because I got told to play in midfield and I didn’t want to, but I’d always go in and try to help the team. There had to come a point where for my own career I had to be a bit selfish really.”
“Obviously there’s been a lot of stuff happening and people waiting for me to say whatever but I’ve spoken to the people who matter at the club and we’ve known ourselves what we’re doing.
“I’m not going to go around saying: ‘I wanted to stay or I wanted to leave.’ I’ve just got my head down and worked hard. I’ve been focused and been wanting to prove to people that I’m a top player. I wanted to prove it to myself really rather than anyone else.”
Rooney praised Moyes for his training methods that he says have made him fitter than ever.
“Honestly the training has been so hard,” Rooney said. “We’ve done a lot of different types of training – a lot more longer running, quicker running, sharper running.
“That’s really benefited me. I feel as fit as I ever have done.”
United are keen for Rooney to extend his stay at Old Trafford and the striker said things would work themselves out sooner or later.
“I’ll have more discussions with the club and we’ll see what happens from there,” he said.
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