Rooney voted best footballer by Writers' Association

London, May 14 (ANI): Manchester United ace striker Wayne Rooney won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award and said that he wants to become a top-class manager.

Rooney got record percentage of votes from journalists with just over 81 percent of votes cast, finishing ahead of Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and Manchester City's Carlos Tevez to win the prestigious award.

Rooney received his award at the FWA's gala dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel on Thursday evening, The Telegraph reports.

Rooney, who scored 34 goals in all competitions this term, admitted it was a privilege to follow the likes of Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton to be named Footballer of the Year, and revealed he intended to stay involved in the game for many years to come.

"I would like to (step into management). I joined Everton when I was nine years old and football has been a massive part of my life. When you do stop playing, I want to be involved in football," Rooney said.

"I started doing my coaching badges this year, and probably did not do as many classes as I would have liked. Hopefully I can continue them next year. I love football and enjoy football - I can't see myself running a restaurant, I want to be in football," he said.

"But now I am only 24. Hopefully I can progress and the best years are still ahead of me. I am always learning every day, and take things in from all my teammates. As a player you are never the finished article. I want to keep learning and getting better."

Rooney's immediate plans are to focus on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. (ANI)