Playing in midfield upset me says Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney says he is "happy" at Manchester United now that he is playing up front under David Moyes rather than the midfield or wide roles he was occasionally made to take on under Sir Alex Ferguson.

In a wide-ranging discussion as he wound down after England training at St George's Park, Rooney talked openly of his belief that he would reach a record 50 goals for England, of his faith in Roy Hodgson, of being karate-kicked by Phil Jones and of how Moyes made him fitter. He began by giving the strongest indication that his future lies at Old Trafford.

"You can see I'm playing and I'm happy in my football,'' Rooney said. "I'll have more discussions with the club and we'll see what happens from there.'' United are keen on giving him a new deal. The reason for his discontent last season was that Ferguson did not field him in his optimum position, playing just off Robin van Persie. "I didn't feel I got a consistent run of games up front,'' Rooney said.

"I actually felt when I played midfield I did OK, but I didn't want to play there. I felt I deserved the right to play in my position and that wasn't happening. I can play midfield. Maybe when I'm a bit older, losing my legs a bit, I can go back there.'' Asked whether he made his desire to play up front known to -management, Rooney said: "Everyone at the club knew that's where I wanted to play.

That's why I was -disappointed because I got told to play in midfield and I didn't want to, but I'd always go in and try to help the team. There had to come a point where for my own career I had to be a bit selfish really.'' So ensued the stand-off with -Ferguson, who responded by declaring publicly that Rooney wanted to leave. There then followed Chelsea's pursuit of United's No?10 and Jose Mourinho's comments about Rooney -needing to "finish the story".

Which he did. By staying. According to Rooney, he has been "settled all summer", signalling the level of his fallout with Ferguson, who retired in May. "Obviously there's been a lot of stuff happening and people waiting for me to say whatever, but I've spoken to the people who matter at the club and we've known ourselves what we're doing.

"I'm not going to go around saying: 'I wanted to stay or I wanted to leave.' I've just got my head down and worked hard. I've been focused and been wanting to prove to people that I'm a top player. I wanted to prove it to myself, really, rather than anyone else.

"David Moyes has come in and he's playing me up front and I'm enjoying it. I really have been happy all summer. From the outside looking in, it might not seem like it, but I've been settled. My wife had a new child and I've been really happy and focused and I'm just delighted to be back playing and injury free and fit." Barring the odd brief incapacitation, Rooney has rarely looked leaner and sharper. He credits Moyes. "-Honestly, the training has been so hard," the forward said.

"We've done a lot of different types of training - a lot more longer running, quicker running, sharper running. That's really benefited me. I feel as fit as I ever have done." Rooney's forehead bore the scar inflicted by Jones in United training. Jones's boot must have been incredibly high as Rooney confirmed he was not stooping.

"It was an accident. Phil Jones was being a bit clumsy. "The ball bounced up to my head and I went to knock it off and he basically karate-kicked me in the head. I think he wears studs. I've seen the [newspaper] stuff on blades. It wasn't a blade. His foot's obviously just come up and sliced down. "I hope I don't have to wear the headband [against Montenegro tomorrow]; it's not the nicest thing to wear when you're playing. They [-doctors] are worried if I get an elbow or a clash of heads it might open up again. There's still a lot of soft tissue behind it, so I'll take the advice from the -doctors on this one."

He cannot wait for these imminent tests of character against Montenegro and Poland. "Over the last five or six years this is probably the most excited I have been about England games," Rooney said. "In the squad, when you look round, there's so many young players with so much talent, exciting players who can do some unbelievable things.

"There have been a few doubters in recent games but we have to go and prove that we're good enough to get there [the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil]. These are two games where we can go and do that and then we can excel in the tournament with the talent we've got." Gary Lineker's "dark ages" criticism rankles. "It does but he's -obviously entitled to his opinions and that's what he feels. He knows what it's like to play international football. Some games, especially now, going away from home, are -difficult games."

Rooney has been working on his partnership with Daniel Sturridge in training. "I think that can work. I don't know what Roy is going to do with the team, but if he plays the two of us up front we're both capable of coming short and going in behind. "He [Sturridge] has been given the vote of confidence by Brendan Rodgers, who played him up front at the start of the season when Luis Suarez was suspended and kept him up there now Suarez has come back. He has excelled in that position, -scoring goals and playing some great football. Hopefully he can carry that into these next two England games.''

Sturridge has one England goal. Rooney is further along on the goal trail. Aged 27, Rooney has 36 in 84 appearances and believes he can be the first England player to 50. "Yes, I believe I can," he said. "I'm actually a bit disappointed with my record. I feel I should've scored more for England. "If I keep playing, keep scoring and trying to help the team, I believe I can get to that 50-goal mark, which would be an unbelievable achievement.'' He enjoys the "great atmosphere" under Hodgson but acknowledged that he had wanted the FA to appoint Harry Redknapp when Fabio Capello left. "I remember tweeting about it and saying I hoped he'd get the -England job.

At the time he was doing a tremendous job with Tottenham. The way it was made out it looked like Harry was going to get the job, that he was nailed on really. "The FA obviously had their -meetings with the different managers and felt Roy was the better option. I feel it was certainly the right decision. I feel he's going to take us to the World Cup. It's probably the most I've enjoyed working for any England manager, under Roy.''

Why? Man management? Tactics? "I feel both of them. His man -management is really good. He really speaks to us. He's shown a lot of trust in me, on the pitch and off, which I've enjoyed. I've really enjoyed working under him and with the staff as well. The big difference is going from an Italian manager and Italian coaching staff to an all-English manager and staff. That was really needed.'' Tactically, Hodgson has a reputation for caution. "That depends on what you are up against,'' Rooney replied. "Sometimes you have to be. That is part of your tactics, which I feel is going to help us get to the World Cup.''