Everton Legend, Colin harvey says: "I am not in the position to tell Wayne he has got to stay, but as an Evertonian myself I would love to see him playing for an Everton side that is doing well. When Everton are in town, fans want to go and see them for the chance to watch Rooney in action. But to suggest he has got to leave Goodison to progress is not right at this stage of his career.

He is still a young man, he is still learning his trade, he has plenty of time ahead of him and what better stage can he have to continue his career than his hometown club? All along the way people at Everton have been a great help to him. Each time he has stepped higher up the ladder people have been there to help.

Wayne is a real superstar and wherever he goes that means he will be in the public spotlight. But staying at Everton will still allow him to grow as a player while retaining the love and affection of the supporters and the support of his family and friends, who are the salt of the earth. He has the potential to be the greatest player in the world.

Everton might be struggling a bit at the moment, but things can change very quickly in football. And who knows what might happen if Everton get some new money and can bring in three or four quality players to help take some of the burden off Rooney." (26/08/04)

Manure manager Ferguson says: "Rooney's a fabulous player - he showed that at Euro 2004 - and is a young player. He's not the finished article yet, but we've got experience of bringing young players to the club and bringing them on." (25/08/04)

Sir Bobby Robson says: "Wayne’s the most exciting young centre forward there is around." (24/08/04)

Hand of God Fruitcake Diego says: " I like the look of Wayne Rooney, he has the talent to be a great footballer. I have seen footage of some of his games, no wonder defenders are scared to death of him.

I think it is unfair to put pressure on him, by making unnecessary comparisons with other players. I know how it used to annoy me.

All I do know is that he is an immense talent. Some people would say that type of attitude borders on arrogance, but he does not strike me like that. I don't know Wayne Rooney, but he seems to be a fairly level headed individual, but you have to focus on your football, to a point and ignore everything else. From eighteen to your mid twenties your talent should shine through, but football is littered with washed up players, who have promised so much and delivered little." (12/07/04)

Leading bloodsucking agent Jon Smith says: "I'd be very surprised if Everton end up keeping him. I think they've done a very good job trying." (08/07/04)

redshite Steven Gerrard says (without any threats or a gun to his head): " Wayne has been fantastic. David Moyes deserves credit for what he has done with him at Everton." (25/06/04)

Reigning Wimbledon Champ Serena says: "Wayne is a sweetie, and I support whichever team Rooney plays for.
I know when you hit the goal you score points, and that everyone falls down. It doesn't seem like they're really hurt though. It's like he fell because of a gust of wind when the guy passed him by, these guys are doing a marvellous job!
I saw England were one-love down and I was really nervous but when they made a goal, I was like 'yes!'. I was watching it in my house and I was screaming, thinking 'why am I screaming so hard?' I can't believe I'm talking the lingo now!." Serena, what lingo is that!!!! (23/06/04)

Sven says: "I don't remember anyone making such an impact on a tournament since Pele in the 1958 World Cup. I don't really know what to say. He's absolutely fantastic, not only at scoring goals but he plays football - he's a complete footballer. He deserves all the attention and all the front page headlines. I sometimes feel I shouldn't say too much but he has been absolutely incredible. I don't need to tell him how to score goals. It is better I don't say anything, his vision is incredible, he's ready for anything." (22/06/04)

Becks says: He's an amazing player, he's proving that to a lot of people over here. He doesn't have to prove it to us because we know what a great player he is. He's doing it in each game and we're very happy to have him in our team." (22/06/04)

Future Chelsea Star Steve Gerrard says:"On current form, he is the best player in Europe. His performances have been really mature. He holds the ball up well, brings people into play, and now he's getting important goals as well.If you look at his performances over the last three games, he has definitely helped us get to the quarter-finals and I'm sure he'll help us progress even more. Everything about his game is spot-on, and he can help us win the tournament." (22/06/04)

Peter Reid says: "He has that arrogance, great feet and has a terrific awareness and ability to spot people's runs. He knows where people are on the pitch. And he is so confident and positive, and he likes to go at people. Terrific. (22/06/04)

Sven says: "I have coached many great players in the past like Rui Costa, Roberto Baggio and Paulo Sousa. But I would say that Wayne is the best. He must be the man of the day, not only in England but in the whole of Europe. He is fantastic and I think he will be even better in the future. If you are 18-years-old you should get even better. He shouldn't be ready 100 per cent yet, but he will improve, I am sure about that. And I don't think all this will go to his head because he has his feet very much on the ground. He's not making a lot of fuss. He just goes out and does it. I don't think he's worried. It is like he is playing on a school pitch and he is saying give me the ball and I will enjoy myself." (20/06/04)

Croatian Legend, Alen Boksic says: "I think at the moment Wayne Rooney is the biggest threat for England. He is some kind of phenomenon. But in Croatia we are watching games all over the world. Wayne Rooney is no surprise to us. (20/06/04)

Becks on all the transfer speculation says:"I think it's sensible for Wayne to stay where he's happy. If that's at Everton, then so be it." (20/06/04)

Horse head says: "He is a phenomenal talent and the prospect of him pulling on a United shirt is frightening. I don't know many clubs that wouldn't want him in their side. He is an incredible player. And if he does become available, Manchester United should do everything in their power to sign him. It certainly excites me to think he could be playing at United next season." (20/06/04)

Blue Bill says: "David Moyes and I agreed Wayne has to be a £50million player now. I would turn down any bid for him and say: 'Thank you very much. What else do you want to talk about?'" We do smile about what Wayne is worth but, then again, we also talk about who's going to be alongside him with us next season. We know what Wayne's value is and our price is that he is an Everton player and we have no reason to believe that will change. I am not here to sell my best players and Wayne wants to stay. Wayne will continue at Everton. As for a £50m bid for him, well, there's only one person who will ever make that kind of decision. Not Bill Kenwright, not the Everton board, but the Everton manager. There have been no bids for Wayne, absolutely not. No approach from Chelsea, nor Manchester United. I have heard talk of Manchester United having a done deal. But I have had no contact whatsoever with United, and you would think they would ring, wouldn't you?" (20/06/04)

Birchey says: "You don't sell your best players. Ask any chief executive or manager and they will tell you the same thing. If someone is saying they will pay £100m, then of course you are going to think about it, but we're not in that position. It is complete speculation." (20/06/04)

Moyesy says: "I don't see anyone from Wayne's side, or anyone from Everton's side, saying anything about him being transferred. Yet there is endless speculation. Everton have been going through hard times and my aim is to improve them with Wayne Rooney's help." (20/06/04)

John Terry says: "He's unbelievable. He's not affected by anything. He looks forward to coming into games and the bigger the game the better the player he can be. He rises to the occasion. We see that in training. It is unbelievable some of the things he does and he is a nightmare to mark. I don't know if we could afford him now. Let's hope we can. I'd love to get him." (18/06/04)

Frank Lampard says: "Wayne was fantastic today. You can't say enough about him at the moment, the way he is playing. He was great against France he showed that he can score goals today. There is no fear about him and the way he plays is very exciting. His character is really unique. Not only has he got the ability, he has got the character to go out there and not be scared of anyone. That is just amazing for an 18 year old. I think he is really special." (18/06/04)

David Beckham says: "Wayne is the competition's youngest scorer and he deserves it because he worked hard and played well after also playing well against France. He's one of the players tonight who showed maturity. He was booked and when you get booked as an 18-year-old you can go out of the game or fight back and he fought back. Brilliant." (17/06/04)

Sven says: "Two beautiful goals, 18 years old, with this performance at this level, it's incredible." (17/06/04)

After scoring 2 goals against the Swiss, The Duke himslf says: "The first one Michael put it right on my head and for the second I just hit it hard as I could and luckily enough it went in. It's a relief after the France game. We're back on track now and we've got to go on and win the next match." (17/06/04)

The England manager defends his decision to bring off 'the man of the match'. Sven says: "He had been working extremely hard and he was very, very good. But I thought it was important to have fresh players on the pitch. Both strikers had worked very hard to help the midfield. They were dropping back when we defended, coming up against Vieira, Makelele and Zidane. When there are 15 minutes to go, I think you should change and Heskey and Vassell did very well when they came on." (14/06/04)

the redshite diver, who was shite against the French praises The Duke. Owen says: "I think it's especially unlucky for Wayne to be on the losing side when he's put in such a good display. We were counter-attacking after we scored and Wayne's style of play really helped us as the game went on. There was one point where it looked as though he had them really worried." (14/06/04)

shite player Jamie Carragher: "There's no doubt every other country at Euro 2004 will be aware of Wayne and what he can do. He's one of the best players in the world for his age. I don't want to put too much pressure on him by saying he can become the star of the tournament or anything like that because he's still only 18 and there are more senior England players we will be looking to for inspiration. But he can be a surprise package because even though the other teams will have seen him in action, most of them won't have played against them."(07/06/04)

Gary Lineker says: “Rooney is potentially the best England player of my lifetime. We’ve had Bobby Charlton and since then people like Bryan Robson. They were world class but not what I would call a true great like Michel Platini or Johan Cruyff. Wayne is young and you can’t be sure what he will achieve in the game. But he could reach that Zinedine Zidane level. The natural ability is there. It would be wonderful for him to realise his potential, starting at Euro 2004.” (01/06/04)

England Skipper, Becks says: "Wayne is a young player but doesn't play like a young player. He plays like an experienced player - like an Alan Shearer. He doesn't care who he's playing against. He will go and compete against the toughest defenders and that, for a player of his age, is a great testament to him. He's not just a goalscorer, there's also a lot of heart there." (01/06/04)

Pele's Mate, Zico says: "Wayne is a young player who excites me. It is clear that he has so much talent and, for someone so young, he shows a maturity way above his years. Pele had all the ability in the world. But one of his great qualities was that he could take anything and any situation in his stride. From the little I have seen of Wayne, he can do that too. He can be a big star in the Euro 2004 finals.The fact that it is his first major tournament as an England player will not faze him a bit. Great players have the habit of always being able to rise to the biggest occasions. Like Pele used to do, they puff out their chests and show the world who is in charge. I expect Rooney to be able to do that in Portugal. I think he has shown already he can cope with pressure situations. Just look at how he performed against Turkey in the European Championship qualifier at Sunderland last year.

It was one of Wayne's first games for his country - yet he performed like a veteran who had already picked up 50 caps. At 18 we are still talking potential here. But anyone who has watched him play will know he has a great future in football. The biggest thing I can say about Rooney is that he has the potential to be a legendary player. He is, of course, dangerous in front of goal, but he is a good all-round footballer as well. He has all the qualities I admire in a striker and, on top of that, he seems to have an old head on young shoulders." (29/05/04)

England Coach, Steve McClaren at England's Training Camp in Sardinia says: "He's certainly got the ability and the talent. I think he's made that impact in the games that he's played. The emergence of Wayne Rooney has been very timely and given Michael Owen a little bit more support, not just relying on the likes of Emile Heskey and Darius Vassell and other people." (25/05/04)

Title Winning Boss, Arsene Wenger, on Euro 2004 says: "Rooney is audacious and he will not be burned out because he was on the bench for Everton at the start of this season. Don’t forget that many players will go into the tournament having played 60 games. So a guy with Rooney’s talent who can come in with 25 games could be unstoppable." (28/04/04)

Gareth Southgate says: "He is an outstanding talent, and he looked dangerous at times. We knew we had to be at our best to deal with him. He is strong, he is prepared to shoot from anywhere and he is not afraid to miss.The thing that has impressed me the most when he has been playing with England is his movement for someone at his age. He takes up positions that make defenders think whether they really want to go in and mark him. He is an outstanding talent. He has the fearlessness of youth. They have protected him well at Everton."(29/03/04)

Toby says: "I sometimes wish Wayne was Swedish, especially now with Henrik Larsson saying he won’t play for Sweden any more - Wayne would do a lot of good for Sweden. When Wayne’s on form there’s definitely no stopping him. He’s one of the best strikers in the league and he’s the youngest as well so he’s got a great future ahead of him. When he’s in top form he’s unstoppable. He’s done well for us in the last couple of games and we’ve needed his ability. I’m definitely looking forward to playing against him. It’s always nice to play against England because it’s a different atmosphere, everyone is looking forward to the game. But I think the defenders for Sweden, who will be playing on Wednesday, play in the Premier League so they all know about Wayne’s ability and what he’s capable of and hopefully they can stop him." (24/03/04)

Super Kev says: "Wayne's scary. I played with Ian Wright, who's still the best finisher I've ever seen. But Wayne, he can finish, he can create, he can run, he can pass, he can head, he's scary. I don't know if he'll ever be the six-yard poacher that Ian Wright was, that Alan Shearer is, because there's so much to his game. But the good thing is, he asks questions, he doesn't just train and go home. When he got sent off, the press were a bit tough on him. And people were saying that if you take that out of him, that aggression, he won't be the same player. But I told him that if he could keep his head he would perform better, because when you see the mist, by the time the mist has cleared something's gone wrong. Obviously he's got that edge to his game, but I think he's done marvellously well to curb it. You could be very physical when I started in football. Now you can't be as physical."

He will play better for England throughout his career, because international football is not like the Premiership, all thunder and hell. For England he has time to look up, like in that first game against Turkey. He looked awesome that day. Sure, there were better players around him, too, but he still looked better than everyone else on the pitch. I think he's going to take the European Championship by storm this summer. But in the Premier League it will take time until he really knows how to use what he's got.(20/03/04)

One Of Today's Opponents Steve Stone:"For me, he's a fabulous talent, a one-off who seems to be quietening down a bit but will still be a danger to us simply because of his talent. He came on as a sub at our place and it was the first time I'd seen him at close hand and he just oozes confidence.''(12/03/04)

Everton Legend and World Cup Winner Alan Ball says: "You try telling him he is not going to make an impression because of his age. He will be licking his lips with anticipation. That is how I felt before the World Cup. I was not over-awed. In fact, I was determined I was going to become a World Cup winner. Once they gave me that England shirt I was not going to let it go, which is what Wayne has done, despite his age. He will be looking forward to the summer and he will believe he will be able to win it with England. The game at Southampton a couple of weeks ago was the first time I had seen him play in the flesh and he was exactly what you would expect. He has got what I call the Merseyside way of playing, which can politely be described as 'committed'. He plays for the fans. You can tell he has got Everton at heart in everything he does. He wants to do so well for the people who support the Blues and he wants to do well for himself. That is why the fans love him so much and that is why he has done so well. There are not many players like that around nowadays and it is a good asset to have, both for Everton and England."(08/03/04)

You'll Love This One, ex shit 'ed, Girlfriend Beater, and Part Time Dog Walker Stan Collymore says: "I don't think there is a great support network in football in general. You are bought, you are thrown into the limelight and there is no guidebook that says this is how to deal with being a famous professional footballer, a celebrity or whatever. Clubs should be aware that their employees are human beings with human frailties. You are going to have your top class pros and you are going to have players who have issues and problems. Look at Wayne Rooney and the exposure he's been subjected to. "Not everyone is a Saint that takes everything in their stride."(05/03/04)

Howard Kendall on Wayne's Competitive Streak: "I think Wayne’s well aware of his temper but if you take that away from him, that passion and that commitment, I think he’d lose something from his game. You’ve only got to look at the likes of Alan Ball. There was nobody fierier than him. He picked up his suspensions and whatever and he was a world-class player. I think if you’d taken that away from Bally then you’d have taken something away from his game as well." (05/03/04)

Steve Watson after the 3-3 draw with Southampton says: "We scored three away from home and Wayne was sensational. If they hadn't equalised all the talk would have been about how well Wayne played and I still think it should be. It would be wrong to lose sight of how good his performance was. He scored two good goals but it was his overall performance that was outstanding. I think he enjoys playing off a striker like Duncan best of all and you could tell he was really enjoying himself out there. He terrorised them, especially in the first half, and it was great to see. It is great for Everton to have a player like him." (23/02/04)

Arsene Wenger Ahead Of Arsenal Game At Goodison says : "That was the game that brought him really up into prominence,(Everton beating Arsenal 2-1 last season). After that, he made a big move. This season, he was a bit less in the spotlight but it looks now that he's coming back to his best and to the level you expect him to be. It's always like that. In the first season, it goes well, you play in the national team and people want you to make the difference in every game. Then the expectation levels grow so quickly that it's difficult to respond to that always. But he has the belief that he can do it. That's a sign of a great player and I believe he will be a great player, although the mark of someone like Thierry Henry is that he has got better from year to year. The same is expected of Rooney, but he has the hunger and the motivation. Then again, Thierry was not in the French national team for two years. He had a little dip because, in fairness, it is not easy to be a world champion at 20." (07/01/04)

Welsh Winger Ryan Giggs says: "Wayne has been compared to me many times because of the way he broke through as a teenager. My verdict on Wayne Rooney is quite simple, he is different class. He was even younger than me when he made his debut and the impact he made was incredible. He has not only made the step up from youth team football to the Premiership with ease, but he has also made the even more difficult jump from Premiership to international football look simple. From what I’ve seen of him, it doesn’t matter if he’s playing a cup game for Everton against a lower league team or representing England at the highest level, he always plays the same and never looks like he doesn’t belong there." (27/12/03)

Jurgen Klinsmann has warned Wayne Rooney will leave Everton one day. The Diver says: "You know there will be moves - he won't stay forever at the same club. After all, who thought two years ago that David Beckham would play for Real Madrid? There comes the moment in every career that changes things and then you have to see if they are able to deal with it. There is still a lot to happen in his career. There is his development as a player and there is the development as a person and a personality." (03/12/03)

After playing against him, Tommy Grav says: “Rooney was frightening, wasn’t he? He is amazing and the most frightening thing of all is that this is just the start for him.” (17/11/03)

After the Denmark game, Sven says: “He is not only a big talent, he is a fantastic football player already and he can be even better. I am very happy that we have a striker like that in England. Rooney is very clever, his first touch today was incredible, he scored a wonderful goal and you can’t ask for much more from someone who is just 18-years old. He is very mature for his age.” (17/11/03)

Gazza says: "It's easy to get sucked into the bright lights, the booze and the betting, but Rooney needs to stay focused. No doubt managers say, 'You don't want to end up like that Gazza'. I don't mind that if it helps a player to learn. Rooney needs the right guidance because there are so many temptations for young players these days. I remember being pictured with Danny Baker and Chris Evans before France '98 and getting slaughtered for it. The fact that it was on my day off didn't seem to matter. I got hammered by everyone over that. That's the kind of thing Rooney will have to put up with. It can be hard to live with, but you just have to pick yourself up and try to ignore the criticism. David Moyes is an excellent young manager and I'm sure he has plenty of good advice for the kid. It's rare for players to emerge in the Premiership at such a young age and with so much talent but Everton need to take their time with him. He's still growing up and has plenty to learn. I hope he realises all the advice he's being given is for his own benefit. He's desperate to play every week - and that's a good sign - but everything has happened so quickly Everton are trying to slow things down. I stayed at Newcastle for an extra couple of years because I felt I needed to learn my trade. Rooney needs to do the same. He's Blue through and through and it always helps to have the support of the fans. They are all on his side and I just feel he needs to cut his teeth at Everton before he considers a move. I can see Chelsea coming in for him sooner rather than late, but I don't think he should head for the bright lights just yet. He's got plenty of time for that kind of thing. He needs to carry on developing as a player before he considers a move to a club where the expectations will be so much higher. He doesn't need to be the tough guy who goes around kicking people. If he carries on, defenders will start marking him out for special attention and will go right through him. I'm not sure he can handle that side of the game yet. His second season in the Premiership was always going to be tough because people got a taste of what he could do last year. He has to get used to pace and pressure because there will be elbows flying about and he has to make sure he's not charging around trying to smash people up. He reminds me of myself. He's got that little swagger and has great upper body strength. The way he's started for England, he could turn out to be one of the most-capped players ever. There is no doubt in my mind he can go on to become a world great and I'm sure he can handle all that. He has a great football brain and a great shot on him. He scares the hell out of defenders and, given time, he will become a great player. I saw him come on as a substitute in an Under-17 game, score two great goals and I thought even then he looked special against kids two or three years older than him. The people at Everton have known how good he is for a long time - even at 14 they could see he was a great talent. They will do everything they can to protect him. He's awesome and the last two games he has played for England mark him out as something special. You have to give the guy enormous credit because he's only 18 and having to cope with a lot of things. As long as he concentrates on his game and doesn't let outside influences take a grip, he will go on to become a real superstar." (09/11/03)

Nigel Martin says: "He is not going to score a wonder goal every game but his all-round play was very good. He linked in well, passed it well and kept the ball for us. He had a good performance and that's what we need from him. I think he has taken the manager's comments on board and especially in the first half he looked very eager and that's always a good sign." (28/10/03)

Dion Dublin says: "I think Wayne has done superbly & he's scored some superb goals as well. It's obvious that he's a very talented boy - I'm twice his age. (28/10/03)

John Hennigan, teacher at De La Salle School says: "We always knew at the school that Wayne was going to turn professional. But there was no way we could foresee he was going to do so well that he would become a regular England international by his 18th year." (24/10/03)

Moyesy says: "He has to realise that people are out there to try and distract him. He has to make sure he doesn't become another player who was great at 16 or 17 but who doesn't fulfil when he is 22, 23, 24. When he first came on to the scene there were an awful lot of stories about him and a lot of attention so I asked people like David Unsworth, Alan Stubbs and Kevin Campbell to make sure the boy is doing the right things. I might not be around all the time but they can still clip him round the ear if he is not doing the right things." (24/10/03)

Howard Kendall says: "Wayne Rooney turns 18 today and already he is a national celebrity in demand every minute of every day. That is the biggest challenge facing David Moyes, not the amount of time the lad spends on the field. I don't think a young, fit lad like Rooney can be over-played. When I was a lad, overdoing it was playing two games in the same day, not the same week. And Rooney certainly has the physique to cope with regular football. But what the manager is correct to be very wary of is the problems money, celebrity and the constant requests to endorse products and make public appear-ances can bring." (24/10/03)

Blue Bill says: "I have said many times that there will always be one person who makes the decisions on the players, on who we buy and who we sell, and that is the manager. We are as one when it comes to Wayne because he is very special to us. He does seem to be a feet-on-the-ground lad and his family have their feet on the ground. And his agent Paul Stretford has told me time and again, Wayne wants to stay at Everton, he wants him to stay at Everton and his family want him to stay at Everton." (24/10/03)

Wayne himself in an 18th Birthday interview says: "I haven't played as well this season as I can do but obviously if I get a few goals I will get my confidence back and help us win a few games. It is not pressure. I've just have not scored enough goals, but that will soon come." (24/10/03)

Deputy chief executive of PFA, Mick McGuire says: "I think David Moyes is spot on in looking after Rooney the way he does. The way he has introduced him is commendable. What we've seen recently is that the young players are the focus of attention with the media when they go out, and the manager has a very important part to play. He's already starred for England at 17 and he has an outrageous talent, but it needs to be honed. Wayne has got a life to lead, but then he's got to make sacrifices. He should have an enjoyable 18th and Saturday night is up to the player. The fact that the party is going to be full of stars has got nothing to do with anything, as long as it's controlled. We can get too hyper about the whole thing, but I can appreciate David's concerns and also see the lad's position." (24/10/03)

Moyesy on Wayne's 18th Birthday Party says: "The thing that comes to my mind is trying to remember David Beckham's 18th birthday party or Ryan Giggs'. Can you? No. Exactly." (23/10/03)

Moyesy says: "So far this season, Wayne's form has not been too good. I imagine every Evertonian would say the same. When you are so young you don't really understand what you've come into or think so deeply about how it will change your life. As time goes on, it becomes a bigger drain mentally. This year, players have got stuck into him. I'd say the position I am in with Wayne would be something new to every manager, with the exception of Alex Ferguson. We've tried to make sure he is not involved with too many commercial activities. I'm keeping a tight grip on it because I want the boy to concentrate fully on his football. Wayne wants to be talked about for his football, not endorsements or anything else. Physically, he is coping but he is having a few problems because people are marking him more tightly. It is important you don't lose sight of your roots but there have been great signs Wayne has not been changed. He's first on the training ground, he travels to reserve games and comes in on his day off. It is really important the people who influence him make sure that's how he remains." (22/10/03)

Sharpie says: " Wayne Rooney has got fantastic touch and awareness and can do the special things that can win matches. Good players are always linked with big clubs and Wayne is a special talent - so there is bound to be speculation. Roman Abramovich has a lot of money to spend, so it was inevitable Wayne's name would come up. But I think he will be nursed along by David Moyes and I think he will be at Everton for the next three or four years and hopefully longer - but you can't stop speculation. If Wayne continues to show how special he is and scores goals left, right and centre, then this speculation will always be around." (20/10/03)

Chealsea Acting MD Paul Smith says: "Wayne could be on that list but there is no specific attention on him at the moment. " (18/10/03)

About a rumoured move to Chelsea, Chris Waddle says: “Young Wayne doesn’t turn 18 until next week and still has his whole career in front of him. There’s plenty of time for him to spread his wings and expand his career when he gets into his mid-20s. But, right now, he is better off staying where he is — at Goodison Park, with a manager in David Moyes who is bringing him along in exactly the right way. For starters, he still needs to stick in the environment he knows and have his family around him. Secondly, it should not be forgotten he is already with a big club in Everton. Thirdly, he is still learning his trade and he could not get a better education than the one he is receiving now. He certainly doesn’t need the bright lights of London and all the temptations that go with living in the capital." (17/10/03)

Ex Chelsea sitter misser, Kerry Dixon says: “Wayne Rooney could play for any club in the world. He has that much ability. Chelsea have signed some great players and they will be looking to get even more top stars. Rooney now has a taste for playing at the highest level after going away with England. And if Everton don’t get a place in Europe at the end of the season, Rooney may want to join another club to get Champions League football. I am sure Chelsea would want him. He is a terrific prospect. But I believe he could do with another couple of years at Everton before moving when he is 19 or 20. That would be the right time for him.” (17/10/03)

Alan Shearer says: "There were one or two moments from Rooney that were special and all in all England knew they had to put in a performance tonight, and that’s exactly what they did.” (12/10/03)

Ray Wilkins says: “He played with great maturity and showed a side that people didn’t think he had,he showed composure tonight.” (12/10/03)

Sven says: "I think that Wayne Rooney is as cool as he has always been. When he sees a football, he doesn't think about other things. He takes things in his stride.The only problem that he's had lately is that he hasn't played from the start for Everton in the past three games." (11/10/03)

After the Turkey game, Beautiful Becks says: "Wayne played well against Turkey before, when he was man-of-the-match so let's hope he does the same again, as He has the ability to." (11/10/03)

Super Kev says: "I think this could be a defining moment in Wayne's career, even before he is 18, in the sense that he can lead England to glory. He is an icon already and what better time to encapsulate that than to put on a show in Turkey and propel his country to Euro 2004 without the need for play-offs or anything. Everything is riding on this game. The whole country will be watching and I think Wayne Rooney is the type of player who will excel in international football because he will get a bit more time and space to show his power, pace and intelligence. This game could help him reach even greater heights. Wayne won't have experienced anything like it before, but I wouldn't have any qualms about playing him from a temperament point of view. You have to accept he is still learning and he has rough edges. But he has got an unbelievable talent and he just needs to channel it in a better way sometimes. When he is out there in the middle of a game though, he wears his heart on his sleeve. He wants to win. He is a winner. Look back to when England played Turkey over here. No-one questioned his temperament then. Obviously he has been booked for a couple of offences now, but I wouldn't question him." (08/10/03)

Sharpy says: "People worry about the fact that he could get wound up and everything else but I think the lad wants to play football, he’s committed and can't afford to take that away from him.You hear so-called experts coming on and saying they shouldn’t play him because of the temperament. It’s another game, yes, a high pressure game, probably the highest pressure game he’s ever going to encounter but he’s good enough to play in it and that’s the most important thing." (08/10/03)

Super Kev says: “He’s got the right temperament, he’s mentally strong and I just think Wayne Rooney could really make a big name for himself again in Turkey. The England game against Turkey over here was as big a game as Wayne Rooney’s played and he handled that magnificently. I think he’s one of these character’s who’s really determined to impose his game on the Turks. He did it over here and I don’t see why he can’t do it over there because he’s got all the attributes.” (07/10/03)

Ahead of the vital clash with Turkey, Sven says: "He's a young man. He's tough and I don't think he has a problem with nerves at all. I haven't said that I'm going to play him but if I do then I think he's mature enough. I'm not worried about his experience. I wasn't the first time we played against Turkey (when Rooney starred in England's 2-0 win) so why should I be now, even if we are playing a difficult game away? I don't think I should be worried about him or whether the game is too big for him as he's shown every time that nerves are not a problem for him. He has also never failed with his temperament for England." (06/10/03)

After The Duke had been booked for dissent against Spurs, David Pleat says: "You must cross your fingers and hope for discipline in situations like that.It was frustration and he'll have to count to 10." (06/10/03)

Gareth Southgate says: "I'm a big admirer of Wayne and the way he has handled promotion to the England senior team. I watched him first hand in the England training camp and I'm always impressed by his positional awareness for a player of such tender years. He's a very intelligent footballer with a natural talent for exploiting space and finding team-mates around him, but the one thing we have to learn is to not put too much pressure on him. There's a lot of talk about our final Euro 2004 qualifier with Turkey next month but we shouldn't be relying too much on one young player, highly talented though he is." (23/09/03)

Maradona says: “From what I have seen of him he’s a special talent and one that the English should cherish. They don’t come along that often, players who can go on and become real world-class stars. I know when I was making it in football the pressure was immense. It is one thing having a talent, but another handling the pressure that comes with it. I would have sleepless nights worrying about how I would perform because I wasn’t allowed to have a bad day. When you’re special a lot is expected of you. When you are 16 or 17 you need a lot of strong people around you to take the burden of the pressure away. You have to draw strength from others because the expectations can destroy you as well.” (22/09/03)

Ex-England International, Frank Worthington says: "I'm delighted with what I'm seeing of - and hearing from - young Rooney at the moment. He is very much a product of the modern game, physically strong for his age and confident enough to just go out and do what comes naturally. That's a fantastic attribute and one which should be encouraged. Rooney has lovely all-round skills and a tremendous vision - that ability to know exactly what is going on around him. He also looks to have that bit of hunger and desire, although there is nothing better than scoring goals at the highest level to bring the confidence oozing out of you." (19/09/03)

Sir Bobby Robson says: "He's so unbelievably young yet you don't see any weakness in him. The most amazing thing is that he can function in so many different positions. He can take the ball with his back to goal and make things happen. That's the mark of a world-class player." (17/09/03)

Becks says: "We have always known that Wayne's capable of performing like that, he has done it for his club and now he is doing it for his country." (11/09/03)

'I pulled out of that tackle on Naysmith' Gerrard says: "He was magic, absolutely magic. He deserved the man-of-the-match award and if he can continue putting performances like that in for us then we won't go far wrong.'' (11/09/03)

Sven's Number 2, Tord Grip says: "Rooney can be very good if he keeps his head cool and his feet on the ground. He can be very good. He is one of the best strikers of his age that I have seen. I think Michael Owen was that good as well. But I think Rooney also looks comfortable in the role he played in the second half against Macedonia. He played well in the first half, keeping the ball well for us, and he was almost even better in the second period. He had a free role there and he took to that very well and scored a marvellous goal. It was a new role for him but he looked as if he liked it." (11/09/03)

Sven says: "In that role he's doing very well. He's clever, he plays people in, he scores goals. For a 17-year-old boy he has started international football in an excellent way. We'll see him score for England in the future and it would be very difficult to leave him out if he plays like that. He's a very good football player and he can get better with age." (10/09/03)

Dumbo says: "I spoke to Wayne after the game on Saturday. He rang me and Tony Hibbert to ask us how we thought he'd played. He was a bit worried because he didn't think he had played well in the first half. But I thought he did really well. They tried to contain him in the first half but his class told in the end." (09/09/03)

'I pulled out of that tackle on Naysmith' Gerrard says: "I spoke to Wayne on the phone after the game and he was really buzzing after getting off the mark for England. There was a lot of pressure on him to get his first goal for his country and he was delighted. I'm sure they will start to flow now." (09/09/03)

Moyesy says: "He is still only 17 years old and there are a great deal of expectations on the lad which shouldn't be there. He is a good lad who wants to learn and wants to listen. We are really pleased at Everton that he is playing for England. But we have always thought that if we were going to play a 17-year-old in every game it would show we had problems. That is the same for England. He needs looking after. I am pleased he is involved at the moment because he needs the games. He is an exceptionally talented footballer and we are trying to make sure he remains that and becomes better in the future.” (09/09/03)

The Duke says: "It's a great feeling to score my first senior goal for England and I am honoured to be England's youngster ever goalscorer. But even better than that it came in such an important game. The result is more important than my goal. It was a difficult game but the lads have worked hard and played with a never say die spirit." (08/09/03)

Moyesy says: "Everyone at Everton is delighted for Wayne.  It was a great goal and it came at just the right time for England. It's a great achievement to become the youngest goalscorer for your country and it's also a fantastic achievement to be even playing in the national side at 17 years old." (08/09/03)

Sven says: "The talent is there, the quality is there with Wayne. Of course he has a lot to learn, but if things go to plan, he can go very, very far. Wayne can score goals, he is a very strong player, so congratulations to him for becoming the youngest ever England goalscorer. " (08/09/03)

Becks says: "It's good for him to break records so early in his career and I am sure he will carry on. In the first half against Macedonia it was hard because they had a lot of men around him. They had a lot of men around every player that got the ball. But he is going to get such confidence from that first goal for England. That is the biggest thing it is going to give him now and he will go on from there. " (08/09/03)

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Blue Kipper Headline 3 Years Ago - Wayne Rooney - Remember his Name

Child

Wayne Rooney is a 15 year old forward. He is going to be a star. Remember you heard it on bluekipper.com first. He scored 8 goals for Everton's Under 17's side last season, even though he is a year younger than the rest of the squad. Along with Scott Brown, & Sean Doherty, Rooney has been selected for the England U17's for a tournement next month. He and is the youngest member of the squad. If you get a chance go & watch the games. (20/06/01)

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