Wanye Rooney Reveals He Backed 'Brilliant' Tom Davies in PFA Young Player of the Year Vote
Wayne Rooney has praised the impact of new teammate Tom Davies at Everton, speaking highly of the youngster who was nominated for the PFA young Player of the Year for the 2016/17 campaign.
On the official Everton website, Rooney spoke very highly of the impact 19-year-old Davies made on the Toffee's season after becoming a mainstay in Ronald Koeman's plans following an impressive Boxing Day performance against Leicester City.
"I thought he was brilliant last year,” said Rooney, who returned to Everton this summer following 13 seasons spent at Manchester United.
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“I actually voted for him for Young Player of the Year. I thought he had a brilliant impact on the team.
"I’ve obviously seen it myself when I was here when I was younger - when the fans see a homegrown player coming through they give you their full support."
Rooney made his debut at Everton at 16-years-old, with the youth academy product going on to score 17 goals from 51 games in all competitions over the two years he would spend with his boyhood club.
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As someone who has gone through the motions himself, Rooney has shared in the same "great feeling" as Davies, making his way from the youth setup to becoming an established name in the first team.
Rooney went on to speak of the success of the Everton youth setup as their under 23's side made history as the first ever winners of the Premier League 2 competition.
“It’s been one of the most successful academies in England over the past 15 to 20 years,” added the 31-year-old.
“It’s brilliant, not just for the first team but great for the younger lads seeing players progressing from the Academy to the first team.“It gives them that feeling of, ‘If they can do it, we can do it’.
"It’s also brilliant for the Academy coaches who are teaching the younger lads how to play football. I’m sure when they see them progressing into the first team it’s also a great feeling for them.”
Everton's Premier League season kicks off on Saturday August 12 against Stoke City at Goodison Park, with Tom Davies hoping to pick up he left off in 2016/17 and Wayne Rooney looking to make his first Premier League appearance for Everton since 2004.
