Jermain Defoe would relish the opportunity to develop a partnership with Wayne Rooney in the same way as he has with Peter Crouch.

Defoe is full of admiration for the way Rooney has flourished as a player but in recent times has only been able to work alongside him when employed as a substitute by Fabio Capello.

He knows any chances of working up a full understanding with the Manchester United star will only arise if he can play alongside him in the same way as he has with Crouch at Portsmouth and now White Hart Lane.

Defoe, speaking ahead of tomorrow's friendly international with Brazil in Doha, said: "Wayne Rooney is unbelievable. He's got the experience now but, even when he first came on the scene, he played as if he had that experience.

"He finds those little gaps, he is so clever. He plays between the (forward and midfield) lines and likes to get involved. His work-rate is amazing. He's so fit. He's got lungs like three men.

"It's great to play with him. Myself, or someone like Darren Bent, can stay high up the field because you know he's going to drop in. If you make a run, you know he'll find you - and he gets goals as well."

Defoe added: "How do I see the partnership with Rooney? It helps when you play together. You get used to each other and then you improve.

"It's like playing with Peter Crouch. I played with him for England under-21s, then Portsmouth, now Spurs and this level with England.

"The more you play with someone, the better you get as a partnership."

Defoe believes Capello has an open mind on the type of striker he will play and is not content to operate rigidly with a big man-little man partnership.

He said: "I think if you speak to the manager, it's not about a big guy and a small guy thing. If you are playing well, then you'll play.

"For example, Emile Heskey played well so he deserved to play and keep the shirt. He was a threat. He deserved to play at the time. He nicked a couple of goals.

"It is about taking your chance if it comes along and doing the most you can to convince the manager that you should remain part of his thinking and plans."

Defoe has vowed to avoid a repeat of his recent sending-off for Spurs against former club Portsmouth after clash with at Fratton Park.

He said: "Some people try and wind you up. That's normal - so you've got to try and keep cool. I don't know what I did, to be honest.

"Afterwards, I wondered what I'd done, what had happened. It was silly.

"I'm old enough to keep cool. I know what's right and wrong. It definitely won't happen again.

"When you do things, you learn from your mistakes. I don't even get booked in games, I don't get involved, so it's something that's not usual. I can say that it won't happen again."

"Defenders deliberately try to get you wound up. It's only normal. If I was a defender, I'd probably do the same.

"If you're playing against a forward who is a threat, you obviously don't want him on the pitch.

"You don't want him to play so, if you get an advantage for the team by doing it, you're going to wind him up."