Wayne Rooney cannot be judged on goals alone: Selfless striker delights Louis van Gaal as he closes in on club's goals record

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Frank Stapleton was 30 when he was bombed out of Old Trafford by their new manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Back then, it was unfeasible that someone of his vintage could be the long-term centre forward for Manchester United.

'We were an ageing team and the manager wanted to bring his own players in,' said the Irishman. 'Fergie tried to get me to sign a new contract on less money — which was a clear sign of where I stood.

'I wasn't going to play, so eventually they let me go. Brian McClair signed from Celtic to replace me — he was seven years younger!'

Wayne Rooney is approaching his 30th birthday but he is trusted with leading the line for Manchester United

Rooney accepts the plaudits from his team-mates after scoring the second of his three against Club Bruges

Manchester United captain Rooney is trusted and appreciated by his manager Louis van Gaal

It is different today for Wayne Rooney as he approaches his 30th birthday in October. Sitting on a lucrative contract with four years to run, his roller-coaster career took another sharp turn on Wednesday night when a Champions League hat-trick against Club Bruges ended a 10-match barren streak.

He faces Swansea on Sunday at the Liberty Stadium and could break the all-time England goalscoring record in San Marino next Saturday, with the United record, which is also held by Sir Bobby Charlton, in his sights as well.

The love-in with Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, who made him captain, has never been stronger.

'He fulfils my expectations wonderfully well,' said Van Gaal. 'I think he trusts me and I trust him. So when he comes to me with something to say, I always pay attention. He has the confidence to make comments other players normally wouldn't and that is also good for the atmosphere in the dressing room.'

Age is clearly just a number where Van Gaal is concerned. Stapleton agrees that the current generation have a big advantage in prolonging their careers at the top level compared with the Eighties when he played for Arsenal and United, before finishing abroad and in the lower leagues.

'The players have all the facilities now to play until they are 35,' said Stapleton. 'Rooney is a strong boy. I wouldn't worry about the fitness side of things over the next few years. There have been such huge improvements in sports science and the treatment of injuries. A hamstring injury used to mean six weeks out, now it's two or three.

'A cartilage operation would leave a huge scar on your leg and you couldn't move. It's a keyhole procedure these days; you clip it and can be back jogging in a week-and-a-half. They have so much more information now. Pitches are better and there are fewer long-term injuries. Turning 30 isn't the great ogre it used to be.'

Van Gaal has been delighted with his captain and says that he fulfils his expectations 'wonderfully well'

Stapleton still lives close to Old Trafford and is a regular visitor on matchdays. He has found the way Rooney has been asked to play by Van Gaal fascinating, because it chimes with the No 9 role he had at Ajax under Johan Cruyff after he left United.

'The set-up is very similar and you need to take on board the Dutch mentality to make it work,' said Stapleton. 'It's difficult for Wayne because he's up there on his own and, if he slips a defender, there is another one there.

'I was asked to do the same thing at Ajax. You make runs forever but are more of a decoy than anything else at times. Cruyff used to tell me that when our wide player had the ball, I should head for the near post. I only think I got one goal from doing that and complained to my No 10 Johnny Bosman that I wasn't getting a chance. He said it didn't matter because my runs were taking three men with me and creating space for the team.

'That's what Van Gaal wants from Rooney and why he's happy with him even when he doesn't score. You shouldn't look at the numbers for Rooney. The fans and public judge everything by goals, but he is not just a scorer in this system, he creates for other people.

Frank Stapleton was not afforded the same longevity as Rooney has been at Manchester United in his day

Meanwhile, the present-day United forward has a long-term contract as he approaches his 30th birthday

'The important thing is his movement and what it does to people marking him and how it creates space for others. Van Gaal and the coaching staff at Manchester United will look at that.'

Even so, the treble Rooney scored in Belgium will be a relief for him. The way his team-mates celebrated suggests they understood its significance too. The next unwanted statistic he will want to banish this afternoon is not having scored a Premier League goal outside Old Trafford since November 2014, though some of last season was played in midfield.

'There will be times when Rooney will be frustrated as a centre-forward as I was at Ajax,' said Stapleton. 'The system is all about patience, which is new to him.

'Manchester United have been about speed, taking chances, being attack-minded. Instead of four passes to the wide player, Paul Scholes would knock it 60 yards to Cristiano Ronaldo's feet for a one-on-one. Now the philosophy is very continental. There would be matches I played in where Ajax had 70 per cent possession but I'd worry I hadn't touched the ball. It's a learning process.

Juan Mata has been challenged to hit double figures in terms of goals this season with Rooney's help

Rooney, who is also captain for his country, is closing in on the United and international scoring records

'This United team is young in terms of getting to know each other but over time they will get the benefits. This weekend will be a big test technically, both teams want to keep the ball.' Stapleton's insight explains why Van Gaal has been unstinting in his praise for Rooney, while other players including Javier Hernandez, Memphis Depay and Bastian Schweinsteiger have felt the sharp end of his tongue.

The manager understands Rooney is working hard to learn his new selfless role.

Van Gaal has challenged Juan Mata and his new signing Depay to score double figures this season with Rooney's assistance and hopes other players will also share the burden of getting goals.

The United manager also thinks that becoming the greatest England goalscorer in history will give Rooney an added boost, though the Dutchman may not bother to watch the game in San Marino, primarily due to the lack of quality of the home side.

'I know it will mean a lot to Wayne Rooney,' said Van Gaal.

Van Gaal says that setting the international record for goals for England is important to his captain

Former United striker Robin van Persie broke the Dutch record while Van Gaal was his international manager

'It meant a lot to Robin van Persie when he broke the Dutch record when I was manager. It means your name is in all the history books and that is a fantastic feeling.

'I am very proud of Wayne Rooney at this club also. As a player, he is the example for everybody because his mentality is also from a very high level.

'I don't think that many players have gone through the experience that Wayne Rooney has gone through in the last three or four weeks, with people saying he was not good enough any more.' And Van Gaal also pays his skipper the ultimate compliment — that he will listen to his opinions and views with great respect.

'I have a philosophy and you have to come with good arguments to change my philosophy,' he said. 'But when you have a better argument than me, I change.

'Everything you can mention, selection, the kitchen, the members of staff, he [Rooney] is involved.'

SO WHICH OF THE TWO UNITED LEGENDS IS THE BETTER SCORER? 

Wayne Rooney's England goal-scoring record is better than Sir Bobby Charlton’s was in competitive matches. He has also scored a greater proportion of his England goals on foreign soil — and in ‘tougher’ environments, and more England goals at major tournaments.

So does that make him better? Some fans might be surprised by the statistics, as Rooney, with 48 England goals, closes in on Sir Bobby’s all-time England scoring record of 49.

The two men have virtually identical scoring records, and Rooney is ahead slightly in some areas.

Sir Bobby scored 49 England goals in 106 caps. Rooney has 48 England goals in 105 caps. Sir Bobby scored 22 of his goals in 49 friendly games, scoring at 0.45 goals per game in friendlies. Rooney’s 14 goals in 39 friendlies have come at 0.36 goals per friendly on average.

Sir Bobby’s record of 27 goals in 57 competitive games means he averages 0.47 goals per game. Rooney’s record of 34 goals in 66 competitive games is better at 0.52 goals per game.

Rooney has scored eight England winners to Sir Bobby’s six, and the Liverpudlian has scored 56 per cent of his England goals (27 of 48) on foreign soil. Sir Bobby scored 25 of 49 goals (or 51 per cent) on home soil.

Rooney has scored six tournament goals, five of them at European Championships and one at a World Cup. Sir Bobby scored five tournament goals, including three at the 1966 World Cup, before the final. Both men have the same number of World Cup goals on foreign soil: one.

Sportsmail's graphic offers up a comparison between Rooney and Manchester United icon Bobby Charlton