Wayne Rooney feels a new-found maturity can only benefit his bid to help fire England to FIFA World Cup™ glory.
The Manchester United striker collected the 2010 Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year trophy at a gala dinner in London on Thursday, capping a fine individual season.
Rooney scored some 34 goals in all competitions as United challenged Chelsea for the Premier League title, while also reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
The 24-year-old will be integral to England's hopes in South Africa and he feels he has found the right balance to channel the natural aggression which makes him such a potent attacker.
"A few years ago, I was still a very young lad playing for my country and in the Premier League," said Rooney, booked just eight times during the last campaign.
"You are excited and emotional when you make decisions, but now I have matured, on and off the pitch. With age, it has helped me and now I probably take my anger out during training the week before the game."
The former Everton trainee became England's youngest international aged 17 against Australia during 2003, before a foot injury halted his impressive form at UEFA EURO 2004 as the Three Lions bowed out in the quarter-finals.
There was also a sense of what might have been at the last FIFA World Cup, where Rooney battled back from a fractured metatarsal, only to again see England eliminated in the last eight by Portugal - a match in which the United striker was sent off for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho
Rooney - who was married during 2008 and recently became a father - is hoping to make the headlines for all the right reasons in South Africa this summer.
"The two tournaments I have played in both ended in disappointment for me. I broke my foot and then got sent off," said the United striker, who had been struggling with ankle and groin problems during the closing stages of the season, but fully expects to be fit for England's final preparations ahead of their opening match against the United States in Rustenburg on 12 June.
"In the last World Cup I did not really show enough of my quality and enough excitement, which I wanted to. I am looking forward to this one and want to try to take my club form in with England, to help us win the World Cup."
Rooney added: "We have got a lot of match-winners in our team, like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who has been incredible in the last few months, guys like Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, all who can win games for us."
Both United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and England manager Fabio Capello were present to watch Rooney collect his award, adding to the 2009/2010 PFA Player of the Year accolade. Capello is in no doubt Rooney has the world at his feet.
"In addition to his great technical ability, Wayne is also a player who never gives up and has a great desire to win every game," the England manager wrote in a personal tribute to Rooney for the FWA.
"I like working with him, because he wants to learn all the time and works to improve in training. He is also very popular with his team-mates because of his attitude on and off the pitch."
Capello continued: "Wayne is a very special footballer and he is now one of the top players in the world. He is still a young player and he can go on to achieve a lot more in the game, for many years.
"Hopefully it will be good for England that Wayne has been in such great form this season, as he will be a very important player for us in South Africa."
source:Fifa.com
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