Eight ways to rate if Wayne's a real great

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This is part of his game that can be improved. As brave as a lion, he has no qualms about challenging for high balls. But at 5ft 10in he's unlikely to outjump 6ft 4in centre-backs, although a formidable spring gives him good elevation. Powerful neck muscles allow him to direct a header with pace and precision and, in time, his aerial contribution will depend largely on his ability to read a pass and get to the ball before his marker.

Vision

Ten out of ten. This quality is what distinguishes Rooney from other 18-year-old footballers of similar experience. An awareness of the options, and the ability to make the right selection, is something all coaches try to teach youngsters. Rooney needed no teaching. It is instinctive.

He knows what to do and when to do it, when to run with the ball and when to release. He's capable of the spectacular, but knows when the simple 10-yard pass is the right ball to play. This is a real bonus in an 18-year-old. Joe Cole should take note.

Pace

He could be quicker but the squat, muscular build of a middleweight suggests he's never going to have Thierry Henry's pace. However, what he does have is formidable upper body strength. He may not be quick enough to outrun a defender like William Gallas, but if he starts in front he's strong enough to stay there.
He's a bit like Diego Maradona in that his physique means he's able to withstand challenges from the side. He can ride all but the best tackles and once running under a full head of steam, with the ball at his feet, he's very difficult to dispossess.

Teamwork

Excellent. It's unusual to find a player so young and individually talented who's so aware of his responsibilities to the team. The stocky build that makes him difficult to tackle also means that, with his back to goal, he can shield the ball while drawing team-mates into the build-up play.

For a youngster who seems to treat every match as if it were a kickabout in the park, he has a disciplined attitude to team play and clearly follows coaching instructions. Rooney's happy to forage back into midfield, looking for the ball, and is often at his most effective when attacking from deeper positions.

Fitness

This is the element of his game that he must treat with utmost care. He's no lightweight and, at his level of the game, good physical condition is the platform upon which everything else rests. He was clearly tiring at the end of a muted performance against Middlesbrough on Sunday. Last season he made 26 Premiership starts for Everton but was taken off in eight of them. Providing he avoids too many burgers he will get fitter and stronger. He's only 18 so we can excuse tiredness but, in time, people will demand greater consistency from him.

Temperament

There are two sides to the Rooney character and both are essential to his continuing development. One is his extraordinary calm in those critical moments when he's about to strike. The other is the 'raging bull' moment when he reacts recklessly to provocation. His unflappable self assurance as he closes in on goal suggests he already knows the value of a cool head. If that is the case, it's only a matter of time before he realises the futility of allowing himself to be rattled by the opposition. His aggression is a good thing, but he must learn to control it.