Wayne Rooney hits back at the idea he is on his way out

Wayne Rooney has vowed to fight his way back from criticism and the bench, with recent setbacks only making the England captain more determined to prove he is anything but finished.

England's striker Wayne Rooney signs autographs for fans after a training session at England's training facility at St George's Park in Burton-upon-Trent, in central England on October 4, 2016, ahead of England's 2018 World Cup qualifying football match against Malta on October 8. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USEPAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

“No,” retorted the 30 year old when asked if his career was coming to an end after being dropped to the bench for three straight club matches.

“It is part of football. It is the challenge and I am determined to get back in the team at obviously club level.

“I think people have their opinions. I have said it many times, people are entitled to their opinions.

“It is football, you cannot play all the time, even if you want to. I am at a stage now I want to play. I’ve never really been at this stage of my career.

“I am a fighter. I want to get back in the team. I will work hard to try and do that, so that is where I am at. I am sure people who know me know I will come back.”

“Does it gee you up? Of course it does,” he said of being dropped from the United side. “It’s almost like going to an audition when you get turned down – you want to prove yourself to people.”

Former England Sam Allardyce fuelled debate over Rooney’s best role after the narrow win in Slovakia, expressing surprise at how far his captain had dropped back in midfield and raising eyebrows by saying: “Wayne played wherever he wanted to.”

“It couldn’t be further from the truth, I play to instructions,” Rooney said, admitting the questions over his role are grating.

“I got battered in many different ways for my 
performance, which I felt was actually a decent 
performance.

“He [Allardyce] knew had made a mistake. That’s part of being involved at this level. He understood that quite early and unfortunately he doesn’t have the chance to rectify that now.”

Making the switch to midfield seems inevitable and Rooney added: “I have heard a lot of people talking about transition – well, let me do it,”