McFadden is better than Rooney - Vogts

Scotland manager Berti Vogts has hailed James McFadden as a better player than England’s Wayne Rooney.

Rooney, 17, burst on to the Premiership scene last season and quickly came into international reckoning before becoming England’s youngest-ever goalscorer as part of a rapid rise to the top.

McFadden’s emergence at Motherwell was also greeted with excitement and his switch to Everton hailed as the next step up the ladder for a player Scotland are pinning their hopes on.

Vogts claims McFadden has more to offer than his Everton team-mate.

He said: “I regard James as a bigger talent than Rooney. Rooney is a good player but he can only play in one position. James can play through the middle, he has also played wide right in the past and Everton have been using him on the left, he is very adaptable.

“When he went to Everton I know David Moyes said he was one for the future but I had a feeling he would be in the team very quickly.

“James has something special and I hope he can be involved with them every week.”

Meanwhile, Scotland Under-21 coach Rainer Bonhof has revealed he has yet to be approached by the Scottish Football Association about extending his contract.

The German has turned around the fortunes of the youngsters and they could qualify for the last 16 of the European Championships if they defeat Lithuania on Friday night.

But Bonhof’s current deal expires next August and he has warned that the SFA will have to do the running if they want to keep him longer.

He said: “I am only an employee and I have to wait for a reaction from the company so it is up to the SFA to say come in and talk.

“I am just doing my job as well as I can meanwhile.

“I am carrying on preparing for Lithuania and in the longer term building a new team for the next campaign. I can’t say that isn’t my responsibility.

“I have settled well, feel good and it looks like we are heading in the right direction.”