Striker Wayne Rooney in control of temper as he prepares to captain England

Wayne Rooney insists he can now control his temper as he prepares to captain England in a competitive match for the first time.

Inspiration

Rooney admits he will take inspiration from the way his friend Gerrard carried himself in the role. He added: "Steven Gerrard has certainly been an inspiration in my career. "I saw his determination as a player, growing up. I saw his passion and desire to play for Liverpool and England, and that's fantastic. "I've captained United a few times, in Champions League and different things. I think it's a great responsibility for me to take. "I feel I've matured as a player in my game. I feel I've learned the game better, and have a different style. "Whatever the manager asks me to do, I can do it. Hopefully I can help the players and myself."

Expectations

Roy Hodgson certainly has no concerns about his captain for the evening. "The expectations for Wayne, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are a bit higher than those playing their third, fourth or fifth game," said the England boss. "It's a cross top players have to bear. But I had no hesitation thinking Wayne could handle it and it didn't occur to me to give the captaincy to anyone else. He deserves it. "It is a fundamental part of the English culture. I go back to Bobby Moore or Billy Wright. Maybe it's not the case in other countries. Here the captain has iconic status."