Wayne Rooney at 40: Agent Paul Stretford hails star’s growth and inner strength | OneFootball

As boy wonder Wayne Rooney celebrates his 40th birthday, long-serving agent Paul Stretford is beyond proud of the way the “underappreciated” star has overcome his demons to become the self-assured man he is today.

The forward’s jaw-dropping entrance with Everton will feel like five minutes ago to some, but Manchester United’s all-time top scorer and England’s most capped outfield men’s player enters his forties on Friday.

Stretford knows Rooney as well as anyone, having worked with him throughout the journey from teenage talent to global figure, experiencing the highs and lows of a career in the spotlight along with the anger and mental-health issues the striker dealt with in the background.

“Look back to that day he signed his first major professional contract with Everton and his introduction to the world and the media,” agent Stretford told PA.

“Then see the person that stands there now, who is aware of his place in the world and he’s self-assured of what that place is.

“I don’t think too many people gave much chance of that being the case all of those years ago.

“He’s faced demons, he’s faced challenges, but each and every step along the way, whenever they’ve come along, he’s faced them full on and dealt with them and come out the other side.”

Sretford’s relationship with Rooney is more of a partnership than a standard agent agreement and he takes pride in whatever small part he has played in the life of one of England’s greatest players.

But for all the impressive statistics, silverware and success, there remains a nagging feeling that the former forward’s qualities are undervalued.

“I think he’s been underappreciated throughout his career and it’s the misfortune of being on both ends of the paper, both the front and back pages,” Stretford said.

“That undoubtedly shaped opinion in the formative stages and even to this day.

“If you’re talking about the general public and the general football audience, I don’t see him as one that’s been truly recognised as to what an outstanding ability he had and, most importantly, the mental capacity and inner toughness to deal with it and come out the other end a success.”

Rooney’s attitude and aptitude helped him produce 366 goals across 883 appearances for club and country, with spells at boyhood club Everton bookending his trophy-laden time at United before stints with DC United and Derby.

The 120-cap England great cut his managerial teeth at the latter before coaching the MLS side, with periods at Birmingham and Plymouth following.

Rooney has not managed since the end of last year and is currently enjoying time with his family as well as working in the media.

“For a lot of players at 40, it’s, ‘What do I do now?’” Stretford said.

“He’s enjoying being with his kids and seeing them make their way in life. Three of them are involved in professional clubs – two of them at Manchester United and one at Everton.

“(Wife) Coleen has been such a rock for Wayne and the family generally, and now they can spend more time together and enjoy that aspect of their life as well as working hard to provide for their family post his playing career.

“I would say at 40 he’s ended up very much in a good place, whereas a lot of us at 40 are thinking, ‘Oh, well, that’s my young days gone, it’s all downhill from here’.

“Wayne is in such a situation, and opportunities that are coming to him now, because of who he is, yes, but because of his personality and an ability to describe what he sees on the pitch in an everyday-man sort of way.”

Stretford believes his well-received BBC podcast is offering “a glimpse of who the real Wayne Rooney always has been” – a “people’s person” that has never forgotten his “street striker” roots.

“Do you know what he’ll be doing on his birthday? He’ll be coaching kids in Dubai,” he added.

“The beauty of it is he can take Coleen and the kids for half-term, but what he’s doing is he’s got his boots on, he’s on the grass, where he loves best, coaching kids.”