Defoe - Rooney will improve

Pompey striker backs England team-mate

Last updated: 4th September 2008

Jermain Defoe Wayne Rooney England training

Rooney: Defoe backing

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Jermain Defoe believes Wayne Rooney is a victim of his early success with the England team.

Rooney exploded onto the scene at Euro 2004, but his recent outings have not matched those high standards and he has failed to transfer his club form with Manchester United onto the international stage.

The Red Devils striker has scored just three goals and has appeared in just half of England's 30 internationals since March 2006.

But Portsmouth forward Defoe, who is expected to partner Rooney in England's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia in the coming days, feels there is much more to come from the former Everton ace.

Learning

"Wayne is only going to get better," said the 25-year-old.

"Maybe you could say the expectation on him has been unfair but he has set such high standards, by doing so well in his career.

"But he is at a great club, he is still young and he is still learning."

Defoe feels it is also unfair to level against Rooney the familiar complaint of not doing as well for England as he does for United.

Improving

He added: "You are not with these players every day, so you don't have the same familiarity.

"Maybe sometimes players have done well, but not quite as well as they do for their clubs, and people pick up on it.

"As a squad we need to stick together. The greatest teams have won championships because they have been united. We have to keep improving and have a good campaign."