Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney could play anywhere on the pitch – Bolton manager Owen Coyle

Owen Coyle, Bolton

Related Links

Teams

Players

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has praised Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney, believing that he possesses the technical ability to play anywhere on the pitch.

Recently, the forward has played slightly deeper than usual, often occupying an attacking midfield role in order to help United cope with their lengthy injury-list, with their midfield and defence taking the most casualties.

However, Rooney has received a lot of praise for his recent performances in the deeper role, combining well with Mexican international Javier Hernandez who has bagged seven goals in his last nine matches.

Bolton boss Coyle is not surprised by the England international’s success in his new role, believing Rooney is more versatile than perhaps he’s given credit for.

Talking to reporters, the former Burnley boss said: “I think Wayne Rooney could probably play anywhere on the pitch because of his football intelligence.

“I know people are talking now and they seem to think that there has been a return to form, but if you watch Rooney, in every game, even if he is not scoring, he can still contribute.

“He is an unbelievable player and because he played at the top level from such a young age, he has a wealth of experience behind him.”

Coyle went on to talk about the challenge his side will face on Saturday, and although United’s defensive injuries will make them potentially weaker at the back, he knows the Red Devils’ attacking talent is formidable enough to beat any team.

“Javier Hernandez is in unbelievable form, Dimitar Berbatov is an outstanding player, Nani and Antonio Valencia look to be back fit – they have an array of talent.

“That is why I want my players to show that they can play a little bit as well.”