I want to be the boss, says Rooney

England striker Wayne Rooney said on Thursday that he hopes to move into management once his playing days are over.

The Manchester United star, who scored 34 goals this season and will be crucial to England’s World Cup hopes this summer, was speaking after collecting his Footballer of the Year award.

“I would like to step into management,” Rooney said. “I joined Everton when I was nine years old and football has been a massive part of my life.

“When you do stop playing, I want to be involved in football.

“I started doing my coaching badges this year, and probably did not do as many classes as I would have liked. Hopefully I can continue them next year.

“I love football and enjoy football – I can’t see myself running a restaurant, I want to be in football.

“But now I am only 24. Hopefully I can progress and the best years are still ahead of me.”

Rooney has been struggling with ankle and groin problems since United’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Bayern Munich on March 30.

But now he is focused on recovering full fitness and is relishing leading England’s World Cup campaign in South Africa as Fabio Capello’s squad aim to emulate the 1966 success.

England line-up in Group C in South Africa alongside Algeria and Slovenia and begin their campaign against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12.

Rooney, who is regarded as integral to England’s hopes this summer, added: “There’s a week’s break now before we meet up with England and I am looking forward to the biggest tournament in the world and I cannot wait for that first game.”