Wayne Rooney: Fabio Capello went wild at Italy goal at the World Cup, England wasted Paul Scholes and no managers comes close to Sir Alex Ferguson
Wayne Rooney speaks exclusively to - listen to the full interview at 1pm on Sunday
WAYNE ROONEY felt the full force of Sir Alex Ferguson's hairdryer more than once in his 13 years at Manchester United.
Yet he still rates the Scot as the best manager he has ever played under.
Not that Fergie's place at the top of the pile was ever likely to be threatened by Fabio Capello — especially after the Italian's antics at the 2010 World Cup.
In a wide-ranging interview to be broadcast on today, Rooney goes in-depth about his managers, including the time Capello forgot all about his £6million-a-year deal with England - and celebrated wildly with his backroom team when his homeland scored during the finals.
Rooney, 31, maintains Capello simply was not right for the Three Lions.
He revealed: "Obviously, his English wasn't great and he brought his backroom staff in who were all Italian.
"I remember the World Cup in South Africa and Fabio and his coaches were watching Italy play and they were jumping up and cheering when Italy scored.
"He's there as England manager! I didn't think it was right."
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Rooney's 53 goals and 119 caps puts him top of the Three Lions goals list and behind only Peter Shilton in all-time appearances.
The former Three Lions skipper played under a mixed bag of six national bosses. He enjoyed life under Roy Hodgson and Sven-Goran Eriksson, and learned from the Swede's mistakes.
Rooney said: "Sven was really good for the team — more so for the starting XI as he tended to play the same line-up. I know for some of the lads on the bench it was difficult for them as they were never really playing."
But Rooney believes Eriksson never managed to get the best out of the one player Roo reckons could have made a massive difference for England — his former Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes.
He said: "Scholesy is probably the best I've played with.
"Scholesey could put his boots on now and still play, I'm sure. He had game management — he had a mind that would let him play anywhere.
"He was that good. If we had used him a bit more, in his right position, he would have certainly influenced a lot more games for us."
One manager who did get the best out of Scholes was the incomparable Ferguson and Rooney winces at memories of his infamous dressing-room rants.
Reputations cut no ice with Fergie in the Old Trafford dressing room.
Roo became United's greatest goalscorer and Ryan Giggs arguably the club's greatest player. But they still copped an earful.
Rooney revealed: "That happened with me and Giggsy more than anyone.
"We were the players he had a go at most. But he knew when he had a go at us two, the characters we were meant we would go out and improve."
This was all part of Fergie's strict management style. Rooney added: "There were little things like if you were under 25 you couldn't have a sports car.
"He was the best but he never complicated anything. Nowadays sometimes there is a bit too much information, too much thought going into it. Sometimes all you need is 'You're better than them, go and win it'.
"He had the balance right and his man- management was second to none. He knew the players he could have a go at and those he needed to put his arm round."
Rooney won five Premier League titles and the Champions League under Fergie, finishing with a record 253 goals at United in 559 games before rejoining Everton this summer.
Roo said: "I have seen players with tears running down their face because the manager had a go at them and they can't take it.
"I've also been there where Alex Ferguson has had a go at me — and it gave me that lift. It makes you want it more."
Rooney quit England to help ensure a few more years playing for Everton. But what will he do when he does finally hang up his boots?
Rooney said: "TV is good and some ex-players are great on it. But it's good to see Steven Gerrard doing his coaching badges at Liverpool.
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"We need more players to do that and they could even fast-track them — there are some badges that I've been doing a ten-year-old could do. When you have that experience you don't need to be down doing that bit."
And, perhaps surprisingly, if he were England boss he would have the media CLOSER to the squad at big tournaments.
He said: "They should have journalists in the hotel then they will see what players do to prepare for games and how much it means to them."
Rooney also fancies dipping his toes into the world of management in the future — and sees England as the ultimate job.
He joked: "It wouldn't be something I'd go straight into! But you never know — and, of course, you couldn't say no."
As comebacks go, that really would be something.
, with Mark Saggers asking the questions, airs at 1pm today in association with the .
Working with the Foundation, Wayne hopes to raise funds for groups dedicated to helping disadvantaged and vulnerable kids including the NSPCC, Claire House Children’s Hospice and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
