Rooney calls for better media relations as he collects award
Wayne Rooney believes England will have a better chance of succeeding if the division between media and players dissipates.
Thrust into the spotlight as a 16-year-old at Everton, the striker is well versed with life in the public eye and all that it entails.
Such focus brings praise like that which followed Saturday's record-breaking 250th Manchester United goal and the ire that comes with captaining England to a galling Euro 2016 exit to Iceland.
Rooney touched on such peaks and troughs upon receiving the Football Writers' Association Tribute Award on Sunday evening, but hopes bridges can be built between players and media for the betterment of the national team.
I think the quicker both media and the players need to come together and meet in the middle, the better it will be for English football.''
It is tough and I feel it is sometimes unfair, sometimes it is right, so the one thing, for me, that should happen - at this moment in time there is a huge gap between the media and the players.
"I have seen first-hand since becoming captain of United and England, players have to realise that the media has a huge influence on the game, and especially on the young England players, they are the ones who have to go out and perform under the huge pressures.The younger players now have to understand that the media are a massive part of football,'' the England and United captain said.
Rooney's relationship with the media has been fractious at times, but his appreciation at becoming the latest figure to be acknowledged by the FWA for his contribution to the sport was clear.
I would like to thank the Football Writers' Association for this very prestigious award,'' he said.
It is a huge honour for me to be here today and collect the award.
I was looking at the list of players who have won it beforehand and to be a part of that list is a great honour and I'm really proud so thank you to everyone who picked for me to get the award.''
United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was among those at the Savoy to honour Rooney, as were former team-mates like Wes Brown, Louis Saha and Darren Fletcher.
Like most great players, unfortunately, Wayne will only be truly appreciated for what he has achieved in the game when he is long retired or perhaps we could all start appreciating him now in this moment'' the latter, now at West Brom, said.
As a Scotsman, I will admit reluctantly that England have had some great players but tonight we are privileged we are in the company of another one.
Not only Manchester United's top goalscorer but England's most capped outfield player and top goalscorer.''
England manager Gareth Southgate was another in attendance, just a day after Rooney usurped Sir Bobby Charlton as United's all-time top scorer.
The 31-year-old has already overtaken the World Cup winner as the Three Lions' highest scorer and former boss Roy Hodgson, who handed Rooney the captaincy, heaped praise on the forward.
We are talking about a player who has won everything there is to win,'' he said.
We are talking about a player who has not just risen to the top of his profession, he has almost gone beyond the top of his profession.
That type of passion and love for the game is something you see very rarely, I have been working a long time and I don't encounter that love for the game that often.
I know one thing, at the age of 31 there is much more to come, I don't know how many records he has broken so far but I would be very surprised if by the time he stops playing he hasn't broken many more. I hope it is well into the future.''