Wayne Rooney ignores Alan Shearer’s advice to quit England because he believes he can lead the team to World Cup 2018 glory

WAYNE ROONEY ignored Alan Shearer’s advice  —  because he does NOT think quitting England would help his Old Trafford career.

Three Lions legend and SunSport columnist  Shearer called on Roo to hang up his boots for his country.

Strike ace Shearer retired from international duty at 29 and believes 30-year-old Rooney should follow his lead if he is to remain at the top of his game for Manchester United.

But speaking at St George’s Park yesterday, Rooney confirmed he will quit international football AFTER the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

If the team qualifies, naturally.

On Sunday, when he captains England against Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier, he will overtake David Beckham and become his country’s most capped outfield player with 116 appearances.

Asked about Shearer’s comments, Rooney said: “People are entitled to their opinions. I understand that.

“People can say whether they want you in the team, don’t want you in the team, whether you should retire.

“Alan Shearer retired so he believes in playing that long for his country. I feel I’ve still got something to offer this team and the manager feels that as well.

“Going into the World Cup,  hopefully we qualify, the time will be right. It will be my 15th season playing for England and in anyone’s terms it’s a long time.

“I’ve seen players retire, get two or three days off during the week and that’s not really that appealing to me. I know how to manage my body through training. I’m sure if I came here and said I felt a bit tired, I could have a day when I don’t have to train.

“Other players do it, so that wouldn’t be an issue.

“In the grand scheme of things, I love playing for my country, I feel I can still do it.

“I know if I stopped playing now, during this week, I’d have two days at home and I’d be regretting it.

“The time will probably be right in two years and hopefully I can enjoy the next two  and do a bit better.

“To be honest, I had made my mind up before I went to the Euros, whether they went well or not.

“I made my mind up that I was going to continue to play for England so I didn’t leave myself in a position where I was making a decision on the back of what had happened in France.

“I still feel capable of doing a good job.  The World Cup is a huge moment in anyone’s life and I’ll try and give it one last go.

“After that World Cup, I will have a year left at United. I’ve said to United I want to stay there, finish my career there, so it’s a case sitting down with United when the time is right.”

Rooney was switched to midfield by Roy Hodgson at Euro 2016 but is hoping new boss Sam Allardyce returns him to the No 10 role he is playing for United.

He confessed: “I actually don’t know where Sam wants me to play but I’m sure I’ll have a better idea in the next few days.

“I imagine it would be a similar role to the one I’m playing for United at the moment.

“Sometimes it is difficult to go from one position to another and keep changing. So in terms of having that consistency of where I’m going to be playing, it’s better if it is the same.”

It is only a few days into the Allardyce era but Rooney is enjoying it.

He said: “I love the sessions he does and you can see a big difference in the players, the enjoyment in the sessions and the way he trains because he mixes things up and  is straight to the point with what he wants for the game.”

Allardyce has axed Jack Wilshere, 24, from the squad and Rooney can understand why the Arsenal midfielder  is looking to follow Torino-bound Manchester City keeper Joe Hart by going  out on loan.

Rooney said: “He’s at a point in his career where he has been around for a few years now and had injuries which have cost him in terms of playing and I can understand it.