The Prem: Football: Fergie warns boy wonder

SIR Alex Ferguson believes Everton wonderkid Wayne Rooney faces a tougher introduction to football than even Ryan Giggs experienced. The Manchester United boss comes face-to-face with the 16- year-old striker tomorrow, when Manchester United take on the Merseysiders. Ferguson was keen to take the youngster to Old Trafford a few years ago but was told there was no way he was available. The Scotsman has handled a host of great young players, from Giggs to David Beckham. But he believes Rooney faces an enormous ordeal, because he will not have the same quality of players around him as his own youngsters had when they broke into thefirst team. Giggs was surrounded by players such as Mark Hughes, Bryan Robson and Paul Ince, while Beckham had Roy Keane and Eric Cantona alongside him when he broke into the first team. But Rooney is already the star at Everton and Ferguson has told the young Scouser he must place his complete trust in manager David Moyes. He said: "I am very impressed, because for a boy of 16 he looks so strong and mature. "When Ryan Giggs brokethrough, there was Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and it was a different thing. "He doesn't have that calibre player beside him, so he is a shining light. The important thing for the boy to remember is who to trust. And his manager is the best person to trust. "It's a balancing act as to how many games you play him in and that is where David Moyes' judgement comes in." United go into tomorrow night's game welcoming back Ruud Van Nistelrooy from injury. MAN UTD: Barthez; Neville, Ferdinand, Blanc, Silvestre; Beckham, Butt, Veron, Giggs; Scholes, Van Nistelrooy. EVERTON:Wright; Hibbert, Weir, Yobo, Unsworth; Carsley, Gravesen, Tie, Naysmith; Campbell, Rooney.

Copyright 2002 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.