England football team manager Roy Hodgson has said that Wayne Rooney has the temperament to lead his country as the Manchester United captain starts a three-match club ban.
Rooney was given the sixth red card of his career during United's game against West Ham United last Saturday.
Hodgson said that people suggested there was a lack of discipline and so on but added that in his dealings with Rooney nothing could be further from the truth, The BBC reported.
The England boss said that if someone wants to write that Rooney hasn't got the temperament, he cannot stop them doing it but added that they are wrong.
Rooney's ban for kicking out at Stewart Downing begins with Sunday's match against former club Everton.
Hodgson added that Rooney, who grew up in the Liverpool suburb of Croxteth, close to previous England captain Steven Gerrard's childhood home of Huyton, shared his predecessor's infectious passion.
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Hodgson said that everyone knows Rooney is not the sort of person, adding that with his Liverpool accent, who is going to be able to stand up in front of a lecture room of people.
But, Hodgson further added that Rooney doesn't need to. He said that all the striker has to do is make certain the players he is talking to understand where he is coming from.
Hodgson said that the great thing with Rooney, as it was with Gerrard, is the passion that they have for football, for their country and for their clubs.