Rooney won't retire from England despite benching: 'I have a lot to offer'
Wayne Rooney is taking his demotion in stride.
The England captain, widely panned for his increasingly impotent displays for both club and country, finally lost his spot in the Three Lions' starting XI this week; interim manager Gareth Southgate made the call most of the country has been clamouring for by dropping him for the trip to Slovenia.
Related: Southgate confirms Rooney dropped from starting XI vs. Slovenia
But Rooney, the nation's all-time top scorer and record cap-holder among outfield players, says recent criticism - he was greeted by a smattering of boos at Wembley this past weekend - and a spot on the bench won't deter his efforts to continue playing at the international level.
"I am 30 years of age," Rooney said during the pre-match press conference ahead of the Slovenia clash. "I am not 35 or 36 where you are thinking, 'Can you get back from it?'
"I will just keep working. I have said before that I will not stop playing for England and then think of going to Dubai for a few days in the international break. After the summer it would have been easy for me to walk away and say: 'That's it, I've had enough,' but that's not me.
"I feel I have a lot to offer and I've made that clear, certainly until the World Cup in Russia. That's what I want. I'm not suddenly going to turn 'round and say: 'I'm not playing, I'm not going to turn up.' I will turn up when called upon and be ready."
Rooney, backed by the likes of John Terry and Jordan Henderson in recent days, admits that his skill set has diminished with age, but vows to continue working in an effort to remain relevant with the Three Lions.
"I am not naive in terms of thinking that I am still a 20-year-old. I understand that. My game is different to that of a 20-year-old, but I also think I have qualities that can help move this team forward. I'm not denying it's a difficult moment but I have to show the right attitude, try to be positive and make sure I am supportive of my teammates."
Related: Henderson backs Rooney to cope with boos
"I've played 13 years non-stop for England, given everything, and a time comes when you're not the first name on the team sheet, like I have been in the past," he said.
"I've done it 117 times, but of course a time comes where there might be a bit of a change, but all I can do is keep working and turning up, so that I am ready when called upon.
"I understand this is part of football. It is something which you have to go through and I am big enough to deal with it."