We can win title back, says Rooney
United defeated LA Galaxy 7-0 in Pasadena on Wednesday in their opening tour match on a night when Rooney scored twice but Darren Fletcher was nominated to lead the team by the new manager, Louis van Gaal.
Despite United's dire seventh-place finish last season Rooney is confident United can claim a 21st championship this campaign. "Of course we can win the title," he said. "Last season was a bad one, we know that, but we are confident we can put it right. We have to believe we can win the title."
With Robin van Persie, who is not on the tour owing to a post-World Cup holiday, also a contender, as he captained Van Gaal's Holland to third place at the tournament, Rooney understands he may not be given the armband. He said: "Of course I would like the captaincy but it's the manager's decision who he chooses. He wants to work with the players and then choose a captain from there. I don't think he was ever going to just walk in and choose a player from the off. I'm sure he will look at the players now and make his decision in a couple of weeks."
Rooney believes the manager's two-striker system suits him. Van Gaal employed a fluid 5-2-3 formation against Galaxy with Juan Mata often dropping into midfield to leave Rooney and Danny Welbeck as the forward pair, the Guardian reports.
Rooney said: "Of course the system is good for me. It's great to hear him say he wants to play two strikers as we have a few. It's a good formation and it's good to work on it in training for a few days. It was always going to be interesting to see how it worked in a game and it worked well, which is good."
With the club in Denver for Saturday's opening International Champions Cup group match against Roma, Rooney has been impressed with the 62-year-old during his first training sessions. "Louis van Gaal has been great. I've only had a few days but he's a strong guy who has been good in training and it's been enjoyable," said the 28-year-old, who along with the rest of the squad, is adapting to Van Gaal's faster passing game. "He is bringing in a new style of play and that's been enjoyable. It was good to see it work [against LA Galaxy].
"In Brazil I watched the way Holland were playing and I carried on doing that when I came home," he said. "However, you can watch as much as you want but it's when you hear him getting his point across in training that you start to learn.
"He's very honest. If you are not doing well in training he will tell you but if you do well he will praise you. If you aren't doing things right in training you need to know so that you can put them right."
During Brazil 2014 Rooney drew criticism and his England place was questioned. But he shrugged this off. "Was I criticised in the World Cup? I honestly didn't know. But I think that happens. It's the world we live in. I came to understand that a few years ago. I'm not concerned about it at all.
"It was disappointing the way the World Cup went. But I said at the time it was time for me to look forward and concentrate on Manchester United. That is what I am doing. I am just trying to get fit and get ready for the season. It was always the plan for me to come on the tour. We had a schedule depending on how we did in the World Cup. The Spanish lads [who also exited at the group stage] are here as well. But it's great to be here. I have had a good break.
"We have a few weeks before the season starts and all this is just preparing for the first game against Swansea. We have to try and put our effort in to what he wants."
