AS his defeated teammates left the Goodison pitch, Thierry Henry waited for Everton's celebrations to wind down before making his exit.

He sought out Wayne Rooney, offered him his congratulations, then left the stage clear for the Premiership's newest - and youngest - hero.

Henry, arguably the greatest striker in the world, would have looked on with envy when Rooney lodged a contender for goal of the season on Saturday.

This week, the 16-year-old will become a 17-year-old, and will mark the occasion by signing a three-year, £10,000-a-week contract.

Already, Rooney - who still rides his BMX bike around the streets of Croxteth, the tough Liverpool suburb where he grew up - is realising his immense potential.

And with David Moyes the man charged with the responsibility of ensuring Rooney blossoms into the top-class striker he should become, Everton and England fans alike can rest easy.

For every brilliant youngster who makes his mark long after his teenage years, there is one who falls by the wayside.

For every Michael Owen, there is a Michael Ricketts, who was scoring against Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool 12 months ago but is neither use nor ornament to Bolton Wanderers now.

And at Everton, the memory of how Michael Branch and Danny Cadamarteri both made an immediate impact but faded into obscurity just as quickly is painfully fresh.

Which is why Moyes, a Sir Alex Ferguson disciple, admires how the United manager handled Ryan Giggs when he was 16,

We don't know what Rooney's voice sounds like, for Moyes has rightly decided not to allow him to give any interviews.

The Everton boss understands he is looking after the country's most precocious talent, and he does not intend to squander it.

Rooney has been compared to Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard.

Now, for the first time, his name has been mentioned in the same breath as David Beckham after he whipped his shot beyond David Seaman on Saturday.

Such comparisons could turn a teenager's head, but Moyes will ensure he does not get carried away with such high praise.

The Everton manager will use Rooney sparingly this season; a luxury that the good form of Kevin Campbell and Tomasz Radzinski has afforded him.

As the Blues look for £30m to fund the building of their prospective new stadium, Moyes has allegedly told the board he will resign if Rooney is sold.

Roma are monitoring the powerful forward, but in this instance all roads will not lead to the Italian capital.

After 15 years of near non-stop failure, Rooney is the boy with a man's job: to spearhead Everton's renaissance.

And with Moyes at the helm, he couldn't wish for a better chance.