No growing pain as Rooney maturing

BEFORE Christmas I thought Didier Drogba was a shoo-in as footballer of the year.

Not so now, however well he continues to play (Drogba was the difference at Molineux), because Wayne Rooney has caught up with him on the back straight and is surging into the lead.

Rooney’s overall form is phenomenal at the moment. Even halfway across the world, I couldn’t believe how well he played at Arsenal where he wrought havoc. But, back from my break, I’ve seen him up close twice in the last week and, certainly in Milan if not quite on Merseyside, he was wonderful.