Robbie Fowler recognises divine inspiration when he sees it.
And for the striker who Liverpool supporters called ‘God’, one man stands alone when he assesses who is currently the No 1 footballer in the world.
“Wayne Rooney is the best player out there at this moment in time,” said Fowler,widely recognised as the most natural finisher of his generation, scoring 230 goals in a domestic career that included two spells with Liverpool either side of moves to Leeds, Manchester City, Cardiff and Blackburn.
The 26 England caps he won were scant reward for his talent.
He went on: “I know Lionel Messi has been untouchable over the last two or three years, but on current form I don’t think there is anyone out there who is such a complete player as Rooney.
“Wayne has redefined the role of a centre-forward. Not only is he scoring goals at a phenomenal rate, he is also dropping deep to dictate games from start to finish.
“Messi isn’t that kind of player. He drifts in and out of matches. He wins matches with bursts of individual brilliance.
“Rooney is always in the game. Everything that Manchester United do goes through him. United have had players in the past who you think to yourself ‘how are they ever going to replace him?’
“I’m talking about players like Eric Cantona, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo. But looking at what Rooney now does for their team, I’d say he is absolutely irreplaceable.
“I think Mr. Ferguson knows that as well. That’s why he worked so hard to keep him at Old Trafford last year when it looked as though Wayne was going to leave.
“I know it’s a strange thing to say, given the number of goals that Wayne has already scored for United and England this season, but I wouldn’t say he is the most natural finisher.
“He has worked hard to improve that part of his game and has got better at it, but it’s his all-round game that puts him in a class of his own at the moment.”
Fowler, 36, is still giving defenders in Thailand nightmares with Muanthong Utd.
And as the Toxteth-born No 9 surveys the Premier League’s current strikers he believes clubs are tapping in to a rich seam of the game’s most important players.
“I remember when I was trying to break into the England team and it was so tough because I was up against great strikers like Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand and Ian Wright,” said Fowler. “When I look at the current crop of strikers in the Premier League I see the same kind of quality.
