Wayne Rooney burst into the Everton team at just 16 years old.

For the young starlet it was a dream to be sharing a dressing room with some of his heroes from supporting Everton.

But, quickly, that changed. 

While Rooney was previously in awe of some of the names in the Goodison Park changing rooms - his opinion on their talents perhaps slipped.

The Everton and Manchester United hero - he recently revealed - was quick to come to the opinion that he was a much better player than his team-mates.

Quizzed on going from the new face in the team to the best on a Toffee TV interview, Rooney explained: "It's mad how quick it changed.

"For me to go in with Duncan (Ferguson), Stubbsy (Alan Stubbs), all of them who have I grew up watching...

"To then go and play with them, train with them every day and play with them...

"And then so quickly, I remember thinking 'These are crap' (sic)."

However, Rooney was quick to state not all the players deserved criticism but insisted he knew from an early age that he was the best in the squad.

The striker also revealed his close relationship with Stubbs and Ferguson - with the latter not pleasing to manager David Moyes.

He continued: "Obviously not all of them, but some of the players I was thinking, 'what's going on here?'

"I couldn't believe how bad some of them were. I remember thinking 'I'm better than all these players'.

"That's not disrespecting to them players but some of them just weren't good enough and should never have played for Everton.

"I was close with Duncan and Stubbsy. I know certainly Moyesy didn't like the fact that I was close with Duncan."

Stubbs played for Everton for seven years across two spells at the club.

The defender - previously playing for Celtic between 1996 and 2001 - first joined the Toffees in 2001 after his contract expired at Parkhead. 

He played 124 times before moving to Sunderland in 2005 where he would remain until January 2006 when he returned to Everton for another two years.

Ferguson, meanwhile, spent 11 years playing for Everton. The striker, who was idolised by Rooney, first joined Everton on loan from Rangers in 1994 and made the move permanently the following season.

He then left the club for Newcastle in 1998 before returning once more in 2000 and ending his playing career at the club in 2006.

Ferguson has gone on to coach at the club and has twice been appointed caretaker manager at Everton between positions as assistant. 

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