I want to match evergreen Giggs' success at United.

Byline: SIMON STONE

WAYNE ROONEY wants to emulate Ryan Giggs' longevity at Manchester United.

Rooney is now in his sixth season at Old Trafford following a controversial pounds 27m move from Everton and is loving life more than ever now he has been given the central attacking berth he craves.

Certainly, there is no sense the new dad is getting itchy feet in the way Cristiano Ronaldo did after a similar spell at United, when the lure of Madrid's sunshine lured him back to his Iberian roots.

Indeed, if Rooney gets his way, he will remain with United until the end of his career, even if he accepts matching Giggs' trophy haul may prove beyond him.

"I have always said I would love to end my career at this club," the England striker said.

"If I can get anywhere near what Ryan has done it would be an amazing achievement because I regard him as the perfect role model.

"You must have great respect for the way his life is and the way he handles himself. The things he has done throughout his career and the things he has won are unbelievable.

"Everyone looks up to him and if I even get close to the number of games he has played I would be delighted."

As Giggs currently stands at 815 appearances ahead of Sunday's trip to Chelsea, with 11 league titles to his name, compared with 252 and three respectively for Rooney, the 24-year-old clearly has some way to go.

However, his pledge of loyalty is bound to be well received by the Old Trafford faithful as they will look to Rooney to lead the club into a new era once time has eventually caught up with Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

Ironically, his affection for United dates back to his schoolboy days when, as an ardent Evertonian, he needed ammunition to hit back at the Liverpool fans who so often used to taunt him.

"United won most of the trophies in the 1990s and for me, as an Everton fan, it was a chance to have a go back at the Liverpool fans.

"When the Liverpool supporters started to bother me, I could always go on about United winning the league.

"Then, once I started playing for Everton and England, I could see the way United played.

"I knew a few of the players through England and they would tell me how good it was. The manager is great as well, someone any player would want to play for.

"All those things were factors inmecoming to the club."

As any parent will know, Rooney's life will change beyond all recognition now he has Kai Wayne to look after.

But he accepts he is no longer the same person who first burst onto the Premier League scene as a 16-year-old at Goodison Park.

"The profile has changed me," he said. "From when I first got into the England team until I was 20 or 21, I was a bit naive. I used to go out and do different things.

"Obviously, in the end, you realise you can't because there are young kids watching. You have to try and set an example.

"It is something you are aware of and something you need to keep an eye on."

CAPTION(S):

Wayne Rooney wants to have a long and successful United career like Ryan Giggs