“I had to be a bit selfish. I didn’t want to play there. I felt I deserved the right to play in my position and that wasn’t happening”
Wayne Rooney has blamed Alex Ferguson’s decision to play him in midfield for Manchester United last season for their fall-out.
Breaking his silence over the issues that saw him question his future at champions United, Rooney believes boss Fergie’s selection policy was the key factor in his loss of form.
Rooney – who declined to mention the former Old Trafford manager by name – admits he was being “selfish” in wanting to play as a striker in tandem with Robin van Persie, but said: “I know that last year wasn’t my best season.
“But there were times when I was playing in different positions. I felt I didn’t really get that run of consistent games up front.
“Sometimes when you’re not playing that position all the time, it’s difficult to adapt. Sometimes it happens.
“I didn’t feel I got a consistent run of games up front. I actually felt when I played midfield I did okay but I didn’t want to play there.
“I’ve had no problem in the past playing out of position, but I felt I deserved the right to play in my position and that wasn’t happening.”
Rooney insisted he is now “happy”, without making any vows of longer-term fidelity to the Old Trafford club.
But there was no hiding his frustrations over what happened to him during Ferguson’s last months at the helm.
The Scouser, key to England’s World Cup qualification hopes against Montenegro on Friday and Poland next Tuesday, added: “Everyone at the club knew that’s where I wanted to play.
“I think that’s why I was disappointed – because I got told to play in midfield and I didn’t want to.
“Of course, I’d always go in and try to help the team, but I think there had to come a point where, for my own career, I had to be a bit selfish, really.
“Naturally, I was a bit disappointed and maybe that affected some of the games I played.
“I can go and play in midfield. Maybe when I’m a bit older, losing my legs a bit, I can go back there; and if it was the last 10-15 minutes of a game and we were holding on a bit and I got asked to drop to the left or drop in to help see the game out, I’d do that.
“I’m not saying I’d throw my arms up and not do it.
“I don’t mean I only want to play centre-forward but [as] one of the two up front.
“And David Moyes has come in and he’s playing me up front and I’m enjoying it.”