Alan Shearer: Sir Alex Ferguson was wrong about Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney and Mesut Ozil

Former England captain Alan Shearer believes Wayne Rooney‘s new-found happiness at Manchester United is good news for England

The 28-year-old almost quit Manchester United in the summer after falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson but once Ferguson had left and David Moyes took over, Rooney was persuaded to stay at the club.

“Credit to David Moyes, but I don’t think it took a genius to work out that Rooney still had ability,” Shearer told the Mirror.

“You would be amazed how much of a huge difference it makes to a player’s confidence, even one with huge ability, when someone puts an arm round him, tells him that he loves him and says he wants him to stay.

“There’s a huge difference between that and the body language which says, ‘I don’t want you, I don’t believe in you any more.

“Rooney is now playing with a spring in his step again, and up front he is first pick for the World Cup, no doubt about that.”

Shearer, who scored 30 goals in 63 caps for England, thinks there are still plenty of chances for other strikers to partner Rooney at next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Ferguson made comments in his shocking autobiography that Rooney had ‘issues’ with his fitness, especially recovering from injuries, but Shearer doesn’t agree.

Rooney was fantastic in United’s 1-0 victory at home to Arsenal on Sunday and covered almost every blade of grass in a workaholic-like performance.

“I said on Match Of The Day at the weekend that I’m always reluctant to praise anyone for hard work alone,” added Shearer.

“As a footballer, that should be the norm. You get lads who work their socks off for a Sunday morning pub team, so why shouldn’t Premier League players do the same?

“But the work rate Rooney put in against Arsenal on Sunday, whether helping out his defence or in midfield or up front, was exceptional. Not only did he work incredibly hard for his team, but he brought the ability with it.

“Fergie said his fitness was going – well, there has been nothing wrong with his fitness on Sunday, or this season, for United.

“For whatever reason, they had fallen out. He didn’t like the manager, and the manager didn’t like him. Whether Fergie thought he was playing well, badly or whatever, their relationship had gone. And that was the reason (Rooney was unsettled).”

No one else at Man Utd has created more chances than Rooney this season. The Englishman has created 16; Patrice Evra is also on 16.