WAYNE ROONEY will lead England against San Marino at Wembley tonight promising to be on his best behaviour.
By CHARLIE WYETT
The Manchester United striker skippers the Three Lions — despite TWICE being sent off for his country and slamming England fans in the past.
Roo saw red for kicking a Montenegro player 12 months ago and stamping on Portugal’s Ricardo Carvalho in 2006.
And, at the 2010 World Cup, he blasted England supporters on TV after the 0-0 draw with Algeria.
But Rooney vowed: “It won’t be happening again, I can promise. I feel I’ve matured as a player.
“What happened in Montenegro was a stupid thing to do and I regretted it as soon as I had done it. I apologised and paid the price.”
England boss Roy Hodgson has named Rooney, 26, as captain for the World Cup qualifier because Steven Gerrard is suspended and Frank Lampard has a knee injury.
Rooney, whose wife Coleen revealed on Wednesday the couple are expecting a second child in May, has been booked just once in 44 games for club and country since the Montenegro incident last October.
He added: “After that, at club level, you saw a different person. I cut out a lot of the silly tackles and mistakes I made as a young player.
“I have no issue with that. You make the wrong type of headlines and miss games you don’t want to be missing.”
Rooney, who previously captained England in a friendly with Brazil, admits he still regrets his comments after reacting to jeers following the World Cup draw with Algeria two years ago.
At the time, he said: “Nice to see your home fans boo you, that’s loyal supporters.”
Yesterday, Rooney said: “I was partly looking for a way to justify my own performance.
“The England fans have been great. They’re always there in their thousands. Since then, I’m a different person and a different player.
“We have a responsibility as players, to our families, clubs and country. We have to behave.”
ENGLAND: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Walcott, Carrick, Cleverley, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck, Rooney.
