What do you expect from John Terry as a captain? What makes a great captain? And who’s the best you’ve worked with?

JT gives his all in every game, with or without an armband. Everyone sees that and it’s great to have someone like that in your team. I don’t think that will change, although he’s now got more responsibility on and off the field. He’ll have to get the players fired up before games in the dressing room, and he should make sure that young players blend into the squad without any problems. A captain should take care of things like that.

Best captain? Roy Keane was great. He was the main man when I arrived and he treated everyone the same. He got everyone fired up and he was the main shouter, but I wasn’t scared of him. What Roy was doing was trying to make you do the right things at the right times, and I didn’t mind that. If you didn’t listen to him, or just gave him a mouthful back, he’d give up on you in the end. His attitude was that it was your loss. Which was true.

Did you know that JT was a childhood United fan? Do you ever rib him about it?

I think a lot of lads my age were because United were the best team in the world. I spoke to him about it and asked whether he’d ever join United, but I think he’s definitely a Chelsea man now.

During the World Cup you were asked to play up front on your own. Do you think you’re capable of playing that role or is it a waste of your ability?

I think I can play that role but I also think it takes a lot out of my game. I like to run at players and draw them to me. To do that it’s better to play in a two rather than alone. Given the choice, I see myself as a striker who plays behind the main front man.

It looks like Steve McClaren is going to play with two wingers and two strikers. Are you pleased? How do you think it will affect your game?

I’m pleased, yeah. Having two wingers to get the ball into the box should give the forwards more space and chances.

How do you rate the strikers who came into McClaren’s first squad: Ashton, Bent and Defoe, as well as Crouch?

I’ve not seen Dean Ashton first-hand, but he went straight into the West Ham team last season and did really well, scoring some top goals. He looks sharp, so it’s a shame about his broken ankle. Crouchy has done really well. He hasn’t disappointed anyone since he started playing for England. When he first started he was getting booed, now the fans love him. He’s a great player to have around the dressing room.

Jermain Defoe was disappointed that he didn’t go to the World Cup and I can understand that, although he didn’t play that many games for Tottenham near the end of last year. But he’s a striker who can change a game.Same for Darren Bent; he scored a lot of goals for Charlton last year and was the leading English goalscorer so he had every right to be disappointed that he missed out on the World Cup. I’m sure he’ll get over that and push for a place this season.

You’ve mentioned that you worry that referees are picking you out for special attention. Are there things you can do to stop that happening?

I don’t think so. I play the game the way I see it, and if that means going in for a tackle then I’ll do it. With referees in general, it’s getting more and more that you can’t even touch a player. You can get a yellow or even a red card for the slightest tackle.

Thierry Henry told FFT that he dived against Spain because he was fed up of being fouled, staying on his feet and getting nothing from the ref. Against Portugal you were being fouled for at least five seconds before ‘the incident’. Maybe you should start diving too…

[Laughs] I’d never dive. I’d like to think of myself as an honest player. That’s just the way I play. I don’t like diving, it’s one thing which football doesn’t need.



You seem so up for it on the pitch yet off it, you come across as very relaxed. Which one is the real Wayne Rooney?

Both. On the pitch, I want to win and that shows. Off the pitch, I’m a young lad and I might come across as shy and quiet around people that I don’t really know. People who know me best – my mates, my family, people I can trust – know that I’m quite a bubbly character.

Are you finding it easier to cope with the media pressure these days? How do you relax away from the spotlight?

Doing interviews is like playing football. The more practice you have, the better and more comfortable you become. I’m quite relaxed doing interviews now. Away from football, I’ll just be lazy and lie on the couch watching TV. I’ve been watching a lot of Shameless and Prison Break of late.

What, for you, is the perfect day?

I’ll wake up at seven and get ready to go training. We’ll have a few five a-side games in training and I’ll score lots of goals. I’ll go home, relax for an hour or two, then go to see my family with Coleen and have a laugh. Then I’ll go for a drive around Liverpool with my mates. I know all the places in Liverpool. People recognise me there, but they’re fine. I got a bit of stick when I left Everton, but it’s OK now.