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Neville: Rooney must improve

ESPN staff
October 15, 2012
Wayne Rooney captained England to victory over San Marino © PA Photos
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Gary Neville has told Wayne Rooney that he must challenge himself to improve as a player.

Rooney scored twice in England's 5-0 win over San Marino on Friday to overtake Nat Lofthouse, Tom Finney and Alan Shearer as England's fifth highest goalscorer of all time.

England boss Roy Hodgson has singled out the striker as a future England captain, but his former Manchester United team-mate believes the best is yet to come from the 26-year-old.

"At the age of 26, you always have to think that there's more to come," Neville told BBC Radio 5Live. "We need to see Wayne Rooney improve and he needs to see himself improve.

"He's a wonderful player, one that is at his best when he's like the street kid; fighting for every ball, taking every free kick, every throw-in, tackling and heading, fighting to win."

Neville, who won 85 caps for England, believes Rooney must learn from United veterans Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes how to adapt his game to become a better player.

"Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have adapted their games," Neville said. "Ryan Giggs has gone from a flying left winger to someone who now plays off the front at inside left as well as central midfield.

"Paul Scholes was a goalscoring number 10 player when he first started as a 16-year-old, now he's a holding midfield player who controls the game. You have to adapt. Rooney is still a centre forward, but he'll adapt over the next 10 years to become someone who's thought of in that same way as those two players."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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