Rooney: United Career, Management & Boxing? | Stick to Football EP 20

the Europa League final me last game for the club he brought me on with 30 seconds to go parents money do you must oh well then then you start thinking about JT lifting the trophy I without shame say that you're the best center forward I ever played with Manchester United you're always you it's no shame in that I thought tactically was the best I've worked with was the stuff off the pitch which was difficult for the players I remember standing at the front of the team and saying look lad I think if you don't fight now you'll regret it because in five six years The Lads that are coming in will just end up doing commercial appearances all week he's come back in he's whatever and then next thing he's going to pull the plug out so criminal law that did apply to not University is it is it happening what's happening get the wigs on I know but that's a positive I'd say watch the letters honest to God what is going on with how did you go into a shop and buy that it's it's beautiful this what is it did you pay for that absolutely you're mean a white T-shirt is not I mean you've never seen me a white just that's a look that's not a look is it Carol what have you got in your bag that you brought from London you want to go get my get get my jacket um I think is a white T-shirt right jacket get my jacket it's just it's not an obvious choice for me a white T-shirt for obvious reasons all them gym sessions P off it was white it's it's cream it's cre it was it's creamless it's off white now it's creamless I've got a nice Jack again honestly you're bigger than me W of course I'm bigger than you do you do JY do you do gym wer I'm SCF United do you run 253 253 I just walk doar you're in good shape to be fair for walking that could work it's just it's just the thing is is if it's if it fits me hey that's bad in it yeah that looks nice right there we go I'm open off for n if you what tell them what your nickn what do you used to call me remember teabag not teabag you idiot a cute line of them got yours chunk chunk W I love the documentary The the clean one with the uh oh it was amazing that honestly seriously try yeah I actually paid for Disney you watch out I'm still paying now I didn't know Disney you're in you're in you wait get a great picture here we go nice one thank you I'm not even in well I was trying to like this you hand out your your kids uhhuh for a week late but it's my birthday last Sunday as well that youve missed was it how old are you know 49 49 what are you going to do thought you were younger than that you're f younger don't yeah you don't look 50 like he doesn't you don't to be fair he doesn't doesn't look 50 no probably because he's not what are you going to do for your 50th um I'm not going skiing with you that's why your ski oh my God you have to go on ski clean just being with the no don't fall for that why do people say you have to ski honestly I think you love it I know his personality you love it honestly you absolutely love it I me look I said this same to him two three years ago he once said to me oh carrying all that gear and all that you know what I mean didn't want to go now he still doesn't like carrying the gear he like the AY ski won't he yeah you do ski no never fancied it really you just stand on something going down it is I went um ice skating went to Wonderland the last two minutes Fe in absolute agony you proper big chunks concrete blocks aren't they yeah scored a few goals though didn't they you can't hit that Vol against Newcastle with small feet though you got to have a I mean that Newcastle go the one you voled in that was I kind I was one who launched yeah I launched it what two three passes before I think there's one before did you actually set it up I I put it forward then lad knocked it down is that an assist have you started no no [Music] right welcome to stick to football brought to you by Sky Bet and this week joining myself Jill Roy and Cara is an extremely special guest an Everton Manchester United and England Legend former teammate of Mayan Roy and Cara for England as well Wayne Rooney I missed Valentine's day but I've got you all the cake to be fair someone brought them to the shop and we didn't get a chance to get through them but used didn't by me anything for Valentine's Day so do you want to pick a cake yeah are you into Valentine's Day no I could tell you can't you supped to get them out just get in there it would been a shock if he'd said yes to be fair exuse my language anyone get anything special for Valentine's Day last week no anything no Jesus I got a card I got a card what's going on here in here I got a t-shirt I got chocolates what was the T-shirt I'll get them Island you got Stone island T-shirt sister Mar Stone Island what did you get thank you there you go I didn't get anything what you mean did you get you got something for Valentine's Day I got you should do really I got a lovely from who from what you from who what did you get from Valentine's Day just a card you got a present but you just not telling us that Slaughter you thinking to be honest we don't you don't get presents each other dead right dead right there you go we're on the same did you even even for Christmas and bires no is it Jam sponge underneath or I think so to be fair they're like are way gold now so this a bit messy yeah I think I'll leave it for now we're going to play a clip from a previous show right don't worry it's not a stitch up after every big fight especially a YouTuber sometimes Rooney will fire me in a message and go listen I'll tell and I I actually said to Wayne did you not see me as Phil barsley yeah I know after about eight bottles of red but but it's like Wayne Rooney you know went had a very limited amateur pedigree but still could fight yeah Wayne Rooney training and I said to him as well imagine a shape you'd get in it go you get right back into shape against Jake Paul at Old Trafford wow and that that's I'm like on the overlap aming if you do that deal we're in you can be a boxer you going to do a fight you never know no no um they've been in touch um Eddie or is it other people no no other people yeah been in touch and and I the question but um I think the minute at the minute I want to focus on getting back into man management not boxing no we is it like a charity thing or like a say what is it no just being in touch to to fight yeah because I've read something the last few days there been a few and obviously that Misfit have been in and that's been all over the news whatever but not a great title that say no but no but it's umist I want to focus on getting back into management that's that's my focus and I've seen all all over the last couple of days all the lands but my main focus is is getting back into football a we you love boxing you love boxing I love boxing yeah me me dad boxed me Uncle still runs the gym in in Croy um absolutely love it love watching it um but yeah going to get back into why do you want to get back into management to be fair I'm not asking that question because I asked Frank the same question a couple of weeks ago I asked Roy the same question when obviously Royce had over last cup we we can't we we just don't get it do it I'm just looking I think what are you all do yeah I think it's it's a BG obviously you've done it before know you've done it before only two weeks last a bit longer than me last time um no but I love being involved in football and obviously the P three and different stuff is there's options which you could take up there for instance but I love being around I love being around the obviously now the staff and and trying to bet yourself um so to something within me really and love to get back into it and you come out of obviously Birmingham and we'll talk about it in a bit do you not just feel like at that point it it's not fair that you think it's like you get sacked after what 15 matches 13 matches 14 matches you think what's the point in this the sort of career that you've had the sort of heights you've reached feel like why am I putting my life and reputation in the hands of what would be owners who are going to be desperate and I'm I'm an owner who has been desperate in the past myself yeah I think it's football in it and I think the main thing for me is to completely and for me it's easy to do to cut out what I've done as a player and focus and and you're almost starting again as a as a manager I'm not going back to me as a player thinking that's going to you know help me of course the experience of had will will help a bit but I'm right at the bottom from manger feel I want to work me way up that's I'm not relying on what I done as a player to to to get me into places where I shouldn't be and you obviously have taken jobs at say Championship level would you consider going even s would you go consider League one or going into sort of yeah 100% um I said I want to get back into want improve myself and by that to League two League one Championship um it's all experienced I'm still only 38 I know I look a bit older but I'm still 38 I've had three managerial jobs so got I've actually got quite a bit of experience indifferent obviously with Derby and administration going out to the state Birmingham that that challenge if you like which we had so I've got a bit of experience to to lean on now I'm still 38 so still obviously young in terms of manager do you feel that you've been judged unfairly I mean to be fair at Birmingham you went in and there was like criticism from almost like it felt like day one and that's like you know you're up against it straight away do you feel that because you're weighing Runing sort of the the the name that you have that it's always going to be challenging people always going to look at you and sort of miror what you know look at what you did as a player yeah I think that comes from as you said you're right I think the B fans didn't set me from day one I think John us to have done a good job to be fair to him um at B they made the change they asked me to go in I went in but I knew stay away went intercepted by the fans um hard was that was that because of the last guy did he to been sacked or do you think that was something maybe against you I didn't know if there was something as a player against United or something you come up against them what you no I think it was more as I said John us has done well they were I think they seven although they were still only two points off 17 places they they was in sixth or seventh place when John us got sacked and so if you're a b fan after to be fair after the last 10 years they've had the touching playoffs and I was early on the season and the manager get sacked and then he had the the situation with z a few years ago um so that comes back into the mind as well so I think all that goes into you consider all the fans you know didn't accept me from day one which you know you know your point of view there when you're going in at sixth or seventh and you know the fans sort of like him cuz I thought straight away when you go in and and everyone's sort of disappointed with the guy who's gone before and the question decision so you're you've got a tough start would you have not looked at that and thought you know maybe give this a month or six weeks cuz cuz I think a lot of people probably felt B maybe as you just mentioned maybe he's done a great job you know the L John used to but are they may be in a little bit of a false position was it always going to be difficult to keep them there that was be point would you look at that and say you know what maybe give this another six six to eight weeks and see see how the land lies yeah and I think he was definitely in a false position um but you back yourself I think that I'm someone who's always done that I've always been a confident person and and you back yourself to be fair the first five games we had were probably the toughest five games of the season and um so that didn't help obviously um with what happened at the end but um I back myself um it hasn't paid off move on yeah but when you first went in went I think a manager we talk about luck in the time and you went in when you went in there and maybe there's that negativity towards you not not that's your fault because of the previous manager that's why you need one of two results to go your way and I know we talking about EP result you're tun it up and when you're in the door and if people are just unsure about you and you're not getting two or three wins quickly it is that we talk about momentum you get momentum when you're winning football matches but we not getting in a positive way it's really negative and that that's hard to deal with when you first go into a club where people are almost waiting for you to kind of feel I think you you're always looking for momentum and I think that first win is is really important so obviously in the first five games we didn't get that then there was International break and um before that obviously before I went in speaking to the owners and how they wanted the team to play and how I wanted to play um we were all aligned in what we wanted and I think the one thing we all knew was we needed players we needed players quick in January and so that was that's what really me me only disappointment that we get to January and and he don't give me the opportunity to bring players in because that was a part of the discussions and we knew we needed them yeah so was that a shock then because if you talking about that as a plan like January we're going to bring these players in because we spoke about it on here when you weren't here you're saying it's just not enough time to do what you need to do yeah and and that's if you look at all the messing from myself from the owners it was about a longterm plan and of course in the short term we W picking up the results we want and I understand that and um owners have to make decisions um but to not let me get the players in January that was disappointing um a shock probably a little bit when it happen but um there are lessons we the one thing I to manager again we people talk about a manager goes in and everyone's got a plan or you're promis about players I almost take all that stuff with a pinch of salt and just I always think have the worst case scario that you won't get any players in cuz these promises they give you that owners do and sometimes it's genuine it doesn't work out because recruitment have we've mentioned many times but they're all lessons that you're going to learn from you know you're not going to learn from my experience you're going to learn from your own experience and that's when you go to the next Club you get that there's hopefully a bit more trust with people but at the start I I kind of wouldn't believe too much what clubs are promising you yeah you know the next Club you go to it it's okay us saying and you saying I didn't get enough time but if that's the the way football is now that you've basically got to hit the ground running what would you do differently if you were going into a manager you're talking about like I want to play a certain way or do a certain thing cuz it it seems pretty obvious to me right now the most important thing you've got to do straight away is get results and then you can build into where you want to go to would would you do anything differently yeah and I think that's You' obviously have to make sure you get the right club and it were in a stable position I think if you look at the three clubs of of managed obviously going into Arby um under their circumstances um the United were bottom of the league when I went over there and now B Gamu over the last 10 years have have been a mess so so have you made poor decision is that decisions I've made decisions which will really push me and challenge me and um I'm I'm pleased with what I've done at tby and pleased with what I've done at DC um and then obviously disappointment for me is Birmingham so I think it's really important that you pick you you go in at the right Club at the right time I mean you talked about my time in Valencia before and I look back now and think there were two or three big things that I would change if I'm never going to go into football management again but if I did you know things I did that were just obvious mistakes are the things that you think that when you look at say for instance you know you've had three jobs you got so much experience at such a young age what are the things that you are picking up and thinking right I need to change that next time yeah I think probably you probably need to be a bit more commanding when you first go in if you like with with the with the owners and more demanding and ruthless man yeah I think I think that's cuz there was a few decisions which are I let I let slab past me which obviously it's the club's decisions in the end and and that's fan whether that's uh having a coach pushed onto it or whether that's you know recruitment whatever that is I think being a lot stronger and tell listen if we're going to do it it needs to be my way but sometimes I think there's certain people you might want which I think that's you're never going to get your own way you're not going to bring clubs who you might have gone into D they're going to say you can bring in a few staff but you're not going to get 10 or 15 it's not like pep any of these managers but I definitely think there you have two or three people in mind going I am taking these two or three people whatever who else is at the club wherever might be coming or going I think the the decision you got to sck to two or three people you trust around you might be a fitness coach and goalkeeper coach and assistant I think that's where you really be strong when you force go in and go and if that's not happening I think you have to be prepared because managers get desperate and they go in they go you can only take one step with you whatever but I think if you have three or four people you go if you're not entertaining these I'm not even having a discussion about a contract yeah we we had that I with a couple of me coaches from from DC and um obviously there all discussions we had and I I was strong on that but then obviously I think I ended up with probably one one coach too many right yeah okay but I what were your strengths like as a manager cuz I remember talking you just before you got the job and I was like the way you spoke like really passionately about kind of how to manage people the older players compared to the younger ones do you think from playing the game that's like your strength like managing like people as well as the players I think understand the every player is different every player has different issues um different strengths and weaknesses and I think really one of my sent is understanding that and getting to really find that out quickly um and you have to see each player differ it's the same as your children all your children are different and and really managing each player as individual um I think especially nowadays players now are so different and Society changed social media mental health issues ETC so um you need to be careful as well but each player um is is so different in so many different ways do you feel let down um I don't know I'm not let down I'm disappointed of course disappointed and you you take a hit yeah but that's it's how you come back from it I think um and I thought the the was fantastic there's been a lot of great managers out there over the years and loads of evidence who've had difficult to three or four jobs and then they just find the right club for him yeah you know Simone's always the one at Atletico Madrid you look at his track record and listen five or six jobs or you go listen touch and go then he finds a club that will suit you're R about going to birming for example sometimes your personality might work with a certain fan base it can be unless you're winning week and week out I know we're all there to win football matches but you got to find that club that that fits your personality and you're up and running win you're up and running your style of play as a coach is very different than how I see you playing the game because as you played you SED the ball playing directly you ran at people you're aggressive where's your style of play come from so when I first went in at tby and this was in the January I got the job was literally adapting to the opposition every every game and um so you changed then yeah so then we we stayed up on the last day and then I've come in I sat down with the coaches said this is how we want the team to play regardless of you know we have to we conern players we had a group of kids from the academy so we said right this how we want to play this how we're want to play whole season regardless of the opposition and and then I got a few players in so I had Kus Davis and Phil jaela Center back and I'm ask them to get up to the halfway L the two of them look to me like crazy and but to be fair they done it and they were brilliant and um as much as in me care I hate goalkeepers always have I thought there was going to be a follow on every night you play Just St goalkeepers but um goalkeeper is the most important player if it and how you want to play and it's mad the keeper I had the um tby we brought in Ryan alof was brilliant um calms everything down and he he was almost a playmaker so and so we play a 235 um whether your fullbacks coming hard or whatever or your your fullbacks go high and wde depend on your personal but I said where's where's that come from cuz it's your football career if you think about how you played at United or or even with England even with Everton you know the clubs that you played at it was always more of a we were always direct we were always getting the ball forward quickly you didn't overplay at the back or anything like that and I saw clips of you playing at Birmingham where you the ten backs were getting it really deep off the goal K where's that come from is that is is that the influence of Pep or is it something no I think the way the way the game gone it's changed it's not just the same I watch one of our games back actually against Liverpool from about 15 years ago and and the difference in how the game was played then to how it is now was was massive so um I think and you just have to move move in you look at obviously for me the best manager pep and um you look at how he adapts you know it's how they're playing now is not the same as what they were playing four years ago it's he keeps making these subtle changes and and and then you see everyone trying to do the same so I think it's important to have your own principles and your own ideas of what you want to do but um that's what I've tried to I tried to take it in a tby DC and of Birmingham but 14 he didn't have a Rooney though did he you saying that's how he played but he didn't have him up front else he might have been trying to give the ball to them his principles as a player but yeah I'm just thinking in terms of how it how it arrives because to be fair I got lost completely when I went over there for I changed like literally every felt like every 10 minutes I lost faith in what I was trying to do from the beginning CH went 433 to three at the back to 442 to a narrow 442 and you end up changing then the players lose Faith with you because I wasn't getting results and to be fair I wish I'd just stayed with I was playing at the very beginning at least it was one message one big thing just last question on management would your next job a big thing be to go in at the start of a season so you've got a preseason with the players because obviously when you went in you haven't got time to develop anything different I had to I went in mid-season at DC well and um that was difficult then you get to the the start of the the preseason whatever you bring players in um we got actually got some really good players in there b leis O'Brien Matty click got some good players in there there um and then obviously B going in as you did mid-season it's it's not ideal and but yeah I think the next one I definitely want to go in at the start right going back to your playing career obviously you know a couple of us played with you 253 goals for Manchester United and I I I without shame and without any hesitation um say that you're the best center forward I ever played with Manchester United you're always it's no shame that no but you have you have no it's fair was it you have you have these what would be you have these sort of canona fans you have these sort of you know you're fans of other players over the years that you think but I without hesitation say you're the best center forward that I ever played with without a shadow over that do you feel that that's do you feel like you create Manchester United respected as much as it should be yeah I'm I didn't play football for people to say he's this or this I played the time win trophies and um I love me time obviously couple of moments there um with with the manager and the fans obviously when has to leave at that certain time but I just wanted to play football so never look back and think I was a striker or you know W player number 10 midfielder I just wanted to be on the ball and I'm playing enjoying that was the main thing and love me time there 13 years at United and um yeah people like van NY or canas or how whatever they're all top players even though you're the top goal scorer for Man United and you Kane is for England but you were for England do you class yourself as a goal scorer I no I wouldn't say I was a natural goal scorer no um that was something I think I think it was years going by I think Glenn said that about someone I think it might be Michael Owen and he got a lot of criticism for because how can you say that when you've got those numbers but actually it's a compliment isn't it it's not it's not that you can't score goals that you can do so much more than just score goals yeah I think if if I was more selfish as well and I I potentially could have scored a lot more goals and and but I just wanted to play I wanted to the amount of times you know you have midfielders tell me to go away or Alex us always say to me um you need to be stay up front remember Louis vanal when he come in I thought I've said it I thought tactically was the best I've worked with there was the stuff off the pitch which was difficult for the players um in how he worked but remember him coming in saying he wants to sent forward to have 15 20 touches a game I was thinking that's it's exactly what har does I think he wasn't he had a bay Munich do in and he he score one goal two goals a game and I always wanted to play and enjoy the game rather you dropped in the Midfield though didn't you a bit later on and you game intelligence was s did you enjoy that cuz you were getting on the ball so much not many strikes I get you didn't like listen to M no I think it's playing in the field for me was easier than playing up top in the end up top you obviously need the intensity in the high speed run um and you can use your experience obviously when I was a bit old you can use your experience and sit in and yeah and pick up space and whatever to play midfield so it was a lot easier physically for me to to play midfield I went like R was box to box I was in M field and and stay in there so yeah the the boss would to a fair when you used to drift out to the left remember when you used to drift out to the left and then he he would got if you didn't if you move too much from the center he would go mad at you at times when he for that he wanted you more Central up front yeah um but then he goes and plays me on the left and ball plays me on the right and so he can't have it both ways either no but yeah and I get it listen I get it you go from Van this who was actually youel know was a better player than he gets credit for as well I thought he was a good football he worked within the 18 but he stayed there so so you go from him playing there then me going there and as you said drifting out W or um so that I think that's the thing with with rashford now when he's played as a forward the hardest thing for me to learn was the the patience of staying there that was the hardest thing to I think Jus is like that Arsenal I say that quite often about him he hasn't got the patience just to stay there and actually be yeah I think for young players now that's probably the hardest thing for them to learn you said something there about he do have you as sort of the main Center forward and did you feel like you get enough u a claim and I I go back to sort of you and Ronaldo almost coming through at the same sort of similar age how did you feel about you're talking about the Fason putting you on the left almost almost feel like you're playing for him so you're talking about I could have scored more goals was more selfish those times in big European games I felt like well okay he's not going to work as hard as Wayne so we'll leave him at Cent to four and you have to play wide you put then win you the game yeah so so I think yeah because you not you not back yourself you could have won them the game yeah but then I think from a defensive point of view there was just more thrust um obviously if I play outward um I would do my job I would get back and help out defensively where Cristiano probably wouldn't do it so and then he causes them he's a threat then and pins their never any frustration with that you sort of yeah obviously I wanted to play me position and but I felt I think that's where the manager probably got it right in terms of in terms of the team winning and being successful probably needed that so um that was I was really in interested in individual Awards and stuff I wanted to win with the team that was always my goal you you mentioned there about when you had the little running not running manage but when you sort of went and asked for a transfer but when Roy left uh United to me you were the natural sort of new Roy Keen in the team on the pitch of how you play the spirit the fight the you know the energy and everything that and also that little bit of something that would to be fair wouldn't be worried about going knocking on the manager door the idea of knocking on the manager door and saying boss what players you going to sign I want to know what players we going to sign before I sign a new contract I mean is that was that you just demanding more from the club because you felt as though at the time because it's it's it's not many players would have during their career go into that office when the manager got the control he's got and say what players you going to sign I need to know before I sign my new contract I think actually you you brought something up just before you left in terms of how the club was going from a commercial point of VI I always remember you bring that up in me you could see what was what was happening and um and then I started thinking about the the team and thinking like well what's happening with the team what's going to happen with the manager cuz I think we knew he didn't have that long left the the club offer me a new fiveyear deal but then we just so TZ we just so Ronaldo and I said this I said this to to the manag it's no disrespect to Phil Jones or Chris Marin they're obviously not going to place Ronaldo and TZ and I just wanted thean us the it weren't going to be another transition I didn't I didn't have the time personally so I had to ask that I felt it was important to ask the question is it going to be a three four year transition or is it going to be we're going to win trophies now and um yeah he told me to go his office so so fine no problem and so then I got more sense then out of David Gill of of what the plan was and I mean Roy Roy will you won't remember what the meeting that we had so just before I left you remember the players pool that we had the commercial pool it was taken away from the players and but we were demanded to do commercial appearances on a very regular basis it was getting to the point where the lads were getting really pissed off so I was basically at that point saying right we need to dig in and stop doing commercial appearances um the problem was there's a few players that just signed Big Image rights contracts and I remember standing at the front of the um the team and saying look lad I think if you don't fight now and stand together now you'll regret it because in five six years The Lads that are coming in will just end up doing commercial appearances all week week um and the L to be fair they out voted I got out voted I mean you think you willing to stand weren't you but I got out voted there was only three four of was willing to sort of dig in um because the L had sign contracts changing any the the contracts have changed slightly but the image rights contracts are coming where by The Lads were expected to do commercial appearances so what the club did they were sign they were picking players off to do lots of commercial appearances within the contract paying them a lot more but the lads that were left behind maybe the other 10 or 12 historically had always said look you know that's that's not football you know what I mean so it was changing quite a lot the club just before I left I think obviously the it's all changed now and then that's a normal thing know with with players contracts especially at the top level yeah they take take into account the social media and and all that stuff so but at that time I think yeah it was new it was strange it was and and sometimes you you're not open to change which I think that's where the club are probably having the issues that have now because the focus was more on commercially than done other areas which you need to look at I I always say that that 2008 front three of you Cristiano and TZ obviously it was always always either had G or gigsy you know either side but they would more sort of like Dove tailing and sit alongside um sky and Michael Carrick I always say it was probably the best front three I've never seen anything like that you you were at your Peak christiano's at his Peak almost and TZ was at his Peak do you feel that's as good as it ever got for you in terms of of what would be football in your career yeah I'd say that that three or four years I think we had was and you can feel it coming I think 2006 we got beat as Milan semi-finals away 2007 um semi-finals again I think it was and then we we obviously get the final 2018 and winner and then we had the other two fins which we lost and I think unfortunately we in a era of that pass L team which were incredible but I think for that few years you you felt Unstoppable I felt um as a as a team you going into games knowing that you're going to win in big games as well see D today I think we went like two and a half seasons one beaten in the in the Champions League in terms of getting to the final yeah what what what point I'm I'm not asking what point was it where you did ask for the transfer what year was that that was 2010 um is that when city was just starting to come was it not when when City it was more obviously I wanted the answers I wanted there was a few teams There Was Real Madrid Barcelona asking city were asking Chelsea were asking there a few teams did you ever have that problem no but I I wanted to I genuinely wanted to stay United but um I think there was a a clash of of me and the manager as well and I knew want you you know as well want you TR and disagree with him he he doesn't take it lightly and my relationship with the manager after that moment was never never the same actually to be fair we we were talking about it this morning so I obviously I remember being in the dressing room when just before the Champions League game when the statement came out I thought that was it there's no come back from that I'd seen it many times before previously over the past 10 15 years but how did that Turn Around from you making that statement do you remember me and gigsy speaking to the morning after in the gym and saying look you have to say sorry to Lad but I think you did but then how did it turn around with I we never thought it would turn around with the manager I I how's that turn around how's it that you sign a new contract a couple of weeks like I don't get more money how talking no I don't get that I when when I put the transfer request in I was still this was more from me and the manager and I was still speaking to David Gill on where the club going how you going to move forward and again obviously as being a manager now myself and looking back prob it was the wrong thing to do probably but at the time I felt it was the right thing to do um to really get assurances for my own career um and then once David Gillard explained where what the club were doing so fine that's all the man had to say um it's all the club had to tell me um and then I signed the the New Deal in terms of relationship with the man of course it was never the same um after I think I think the big thing what probably hurt him is he had just show TR they had just show Ronaldo and he probably couldn't afford to let me [Music] go moving on to the sort of post for Alex Ferguson period because obviously you played under David Mo and then under Louis vanal predominantly what what was what was the big change I mean obviously we know what the big change was but just talk to us about that period firstly David Moyes and how it was because obvious you knew David Moyes you had a relationship with him what happened in that period when Sir Alex left um I think firstly we were losing the cor of the team really I think um gigsy and Rio viage they were all on the last legs basically and so we were losing that presence in the in the dress room then it was there was literally me and Michael KH left and still playing and um from from our that generation and then you you're getting the likes of Jesse lingard coming through and um wellber clever which had good careers but it was never you know the same and um as I said football was changing you know the behavior of players of course we misbehave or go out and um do whatever but I think everything was changing around football and I think that was a big like coming in I always remember after the Liverpool game when we got beaten um Lads are coming in dancing the next day around the dressing room with the hip-hop music on I remember taking the music out with him and then but you could try and control it as much as as possible but in the was that the Jesse lingard clip that was on social media it was actually that was another one after I G listen to you so but you look at it and you just think it's it's so the players didn't Embrace de M you're thinking win did they did they give him a chance no never give him a chance I think it was always going to be difficult for him and I know from when he was at Everton and he wasn't the same as what when he was at Everton so I think he obviously it was a massive change for him as well and so I don't think he probably done as well as he would have liked but I also think there was a lack of from more senior players just weren't having them and that was very difficult for I always remember David Moy saying privately to me so I can't remember when I saw him after he said it felt like almost like the dad had left the house and the stepdad was coming in and trying to instruct the children and the base of the children were just never having sort of that message from it just different but it's sad when a manager never gets a chance you know I mean's really hands on like in everything in terms of how what way the bus goes to the game and stuff like that um on the training pitch he's really Hands-On where so that was a big difference for for the players as well in terms of obviously the Mani some days you might see him on the training pitch and whatever where that was a big change as well I when you talk about that it sounds like you were almost you know leads in the dressing room there you're almost sort of fighting for the manager you want to try and get the lads involved and it takes me back to sort of Roy audon at Liverpool in that I I was as I think I've said before I never played for a manager played for the club so you want Roy to do well because you means the club are doing well but once a dressing room and not having the manage yet two or three years can't turn it around it's okay the other the other way when there's maybe four or five in the we not having the but the majority and you drag them along with you yeah I i' never had it before at Liverpool where it was just like you could feel I was like I'm fighting a losing battle here you know like training is just not quite the same and Lads are just going all te in the red away it's certain things and you're like trying to like almost overdo it in the end honestly drives me never be like that with a manager do you think it's frustrating though because you're in like this generation with these guys and then it changes a bit doesn't it so you're left with frustration because it's like I remember I was always the one that was like get off our phones and you know while I was really old school and they got to a point where kind of had a meet halfway with that next Generation difference in I always remember me first training session at United and I went in I was injured and remember going in you've got R Keane Ryan gigs um skulls Phil Neville you've got all these players who I grew up watching and I remember thinking going into the Scout thinking I need to I need to Wi PR not the manager when the manager I need to Wi PR remember first session I and how intense it was the difference to what it was at Everton and tackling and stuff and then I go back to towards the end and I say that generation changed Society changed the difference in the sessions the you know you're getting told you need to stop saying now because you've run this much and you just like going on but that's the obviously the way the the game went so it was completely different I always say used to say at the sport ERS could you do the session without this little GPS and it' be like as if the headed go like just try and monitor like when he come in never did he never use them never used he said he can see it with his eyes yeah like the feel of the session and the only time you'd use it is when you were injured come back with the phys and you put it on the dog you'd put it on the dog for you yeah we know we know we know the game is changing and players or whatever be mobile phones and dress room but I just when a manager goes in that players wouldn't have the respect for a manager at least to give him a chance and listen we we won't fall up with managers but you certainly would wouldn't you wouldn't not train properly you're not tried for a man you might you might like his training methods you might like his personality but you wouldn't this idea of like down and tools are not when when I when I when I hear that right I'm it baffles me and I sometimes think is it because I play for one team I don't know but I I also think when You' be arguing with Lads and not arguing maybe discussing about like well okay I know you you don't know the training is not great but if you don't train properly and you're not Al you're not going to play as well on the Saturday what's why would you not want to play your absolute best figure out who the managers why would you not ever want I used always play in a game and think what if I don't play well I don't care who the manager is or we get beat I'm going to go home and happy so it doesn't matter who the manages I want to go home with I feeling play well I think you're old school and to be fair to you you are old school you know now you played the game what Gary what does you know me old school no but it's good school what's old school not is what is old school what does that mean you know have beliefs and you better pray not but you know what it means what what I mean by that in terms of how he played and I think you could be accused at times by I remember the manager saying to you you're working too much yeah he didn't he used to say to him you he used to say to him you're working too hard you work you running too much you know what I mean be like I think when when you there when you say in Old School I think it's honesty and a willing willingness to work I think and and too many times now you see with players who who were not willing to do that and you've got some great best team in the country obviously the P top for me is Man City they also work the hardest and people what young players now especially you want to do is try and get to that level without putting the work in do you think like I always think you know was as Tommy Smith saying that when I was playing you know it's always like the older players always look at the newer generation and go oh they they W like H or they do you know what I mean are we sounded like no but I go back mention the part manager coming he's coming to De M's going to man united you know the players okay the standard might have come down in terms of the brilliant players you've left but you've players treating a manager who deserves respect who's don't really good stuff at everything and then going and before he walks in the door we're not having him that's the bit I don't care whatever about D Mo sure done stuff he looks back and go maybe that I shouldn't have done that I was trying too hard when I first went in putting a mar down you hear all the stories about chips and ketchup and all this rubbish but from before A manager walks in the door for players to say when not having him I just going to Louis vanal because you said before he's the best tactical coach you've ever seen I can see that I I reflect on what I used to say about Louis vanal when I was watching United on T I found it really difficult watching Manchester United play a lot of sideways passes along the back even though I respected the way in which he got us playing cuz he's probably the one manager since Alex feron that's implemented a style did you find that style it was so different than how you'd played before did you like that style CU I I struggled with it watch United in that way many fans did yeah know I thought so when I say tackle thought defensively he had to set up brilliant um and we were difficult to play G from that point of view um in possession I think that's where for for for the you more flare plays like you de that's why de struggles because he wants you to stay in this this area where it takes away that freedom of the attack attacking players if you like so that from that point of view that was it was difficult to play in and I remember he didn't want the mfield players crossing over or um so you have to almost play in in this one area whatever so but a good personality was he I thought Brant him wasn't he he brilliant yeah he um some stories on B like i' say but he was one one story The Players liked him the players took to him yeah yeah no he's his methods were difficult um in how he worked and off the pitch and but I I I absolutely loved his training what was that was you mean the video lengths or something like that or what we talking about there in terms of what you have to watch video you have to watch video but it was every day was you finished TR and then you'd have like 90 minutes after same finishes before you can have your food then you have your food food um each table goes up at a time and then the staff table goes up last and and then you have to wait for him to finish his food and he has a three course meal every in training every day every day then Wow when he finishes he gets up and does a speech after every meal um and then you then you can leave then then he tell you I want to speak to these four players individually and then he do it in order of your seniority or whatever so um then you've got four players settle to other's office go one so literally you finish training like another 4 hours of of this so I'm speaking to him saying Lou players are gone like you need to change a little bit it's it's getting getting Beyond difficulty him he didn't but then in the end he he come to me and asked how how can he get the players back basically which it was probably a bit too late then so you didn't take that of Birmingham the king's E is at the end of the oh those name tags was that yeah on the staff table name tags yeah like a wedding he was a character though wasn't he yeah I used to I used to love I mean you know want to fried when all the manager interviews come in I used obiously I think I've got to see van he' always say something mad and what was the he's most the man have kind Awards thing at the end of the season that when he's on the stage had a few bees and he and he's screaming and shout and that oh I I love vanal no he was gone a week after that was sad when he went I think cuz cuz he won the FA Final and then he got sat night he knew before the fa fin he was gone I think Jord the game as wife found out yeah how don't know his wife found out he knew he knew before the game appar to be fair to him he knew so after we won it we had the party after the game and um he was always Lely and bubbly and Lou and um he was there with his family you could see he was down he went he stayed away from everyone so I went because I said some like gutted you're going to be going but it's football it's like TR to enjoy tonight we won the cup TR enjoy it and obviously move on from from that but he never really always remember he knew he was getting sacked but he hadn't being told the next day he got his all down for breakfast and he give all his plans out for the offseason and stuff like that and so he stuck to his his job right till the end oh yeah it was strange actually look at the time and I went to it it I got Sat by Valencia in the sort of March April and I went to a game at Old Trafford I can't remember who was it against and was J said there's 75,000 even though there's there's only like there's about 55,000 watch was a Tuesday night I think it's Crystal Palace and there was no one the stadium was empty I thought that was more Palace than United I thought look I thought you know I know sounds crazy but the owners at that time they have looked at the stadium people not watching the football and thought we can't have this we can't have people not coming I thought he was in trouble that [Music] night moving on to Jose obv was how was how was that for you um that that was probably my toughest year at United because of I was Captain in W playing and I knew soon as he come in Nissan Zlatan Jose only plays one way he plays one forward he's brought Zlatan in so I knew Zlatan be playing but he started the season with me and Zlatan up top started really well actually I think first three games had scored two had two assists or something like that and then we played knowledge away and I was terrible the whole team was was was was bad but I was disappointed because I knew I'd give him the chance to leave me out the team and he did and from then I never really got back in in the team and so that was most difficult thing was going in every day as Captain and trying to put on a a face for for your teammates but really like he he brought me on with 30 seconds to go me last game you know what age were you then what age were you then what age were you been 30 31 and like the Europa League final the last game for the club I 30 seconds to go he brought me on with 30 seconds to go what was the score at that point 2 N parents money you must have oh well then then you start thinking about JT lifting the trophy and like I was on the bench against Southampton in the League Cup Final and did you not come in that one though I was ready to come on then Zlatan scad he s me backed out so stuff like that there was difficult moments was he still speaking to at the time though all the way through person yeah great honestly really really good fell um and then of course when you don't play you always have your frustrations your issues with any manager that's you want to play but um as a person um he was really good how was that moment what was the moment that that someone came to you or someone rang you and said look you know I'm going to leave Manchester United when did that day happen I spoke to Jose in the January um haven't approached um quite early then um so so I wanted to go in January um on loan or however cuz I wanted to play basically and um and to be fair to Y he said listen I'm going need for might be for Europa League games so can you stay till the end of the season I promise you you can leave at the end of the season so I knew I was a support for latan basically and um so I stayed to the end of the season and he he always stuck to it it's Hardo win that must have been yeah it was it was as I said it was horrible it was frustrating um and you don't feel cuz your captain you don't feel yeah like you're contributing to yeah you you know when you go back to Everton was that always in your head s of years before if you were going to move you wanted to do ever because you sort of left and there was a bit of sort of ranker you know with the supporters you being a little you know big ever Tony was it always a feeling that um 's obviously always a club I've Loved Me went through the academ me there supported him still followed them obviously and um when he they come it went I was thinking about when a first s United and had all years of abuse from the fans and that but slowly that was 10 I went to a few games and I played Duncan's testimonial um and I could feel that that change then I started thinking right have me four kids i' love for me kids to see me play Forever and that was big reason going I'm also the pay the price for now but he was do making some good signning as well kids Everton fans or man united fans both really um but like me L six today and all Everton forever but yeah both um ever who was manager of Everton when you were back there when who was kman um big S played under proper different mix of managers have you that's surely good for your own experience as a manager yeah so I had three Dutch managers kman caku and vanal Mourinho obviously FY there's been a few there and all different so that's something which especially towards the end with vanal wi binho with kumman Kaku Sam Al I was looking I knew I want to go into management I was looking at different ways they were do I just I've just thought of something then about U obviously talking about going back to but obviously you started ever and I tell this story a few times and like the thing that really stood out about you what made you for me you a great player was not just your ability in scoring goals your actual mentality and and I think it's it's not I'm not saying it's a Liverpool thing but I think we've got sort of you know up for it and you know fight the world you danc I remember seeing it remember the first time first time I met you in the club was in yeah the state it was the state or we were in a state and come up to me how old you think you were there I was hopefully 18 n yeah he was nine I was 16 you just said you'll be earing a lot basically it was a bit like yeah I'm Ro and you'll be earing a lot about me you right I think it's more the I don't think it's a it's a working class thing and in I've always been well you believe in yourself I think but I've always wanted to play or train and as if someone's going to take it from me and that's your last chance and the last chance to yeah to do it I never wanted anyone to be able to take me Place obviously mellow down a little bit when you get a little bit older but that was certainly when I was younger I won't forgive you for taking the remote control oh yeah remember that he watching was rby League you tell it tell the truth will you so he's watching Ruby league so I'm sat there was new way you have to go out the room to get your food I think my second or third game so he's gone out so changed over to X Factor I've hit the remote so he's come back in he's reme whatever so just sat night and then next thing he's going to pull the plug out I don't even know whether he knows about midnight the club security knocked at me door and asked for the remote nothing to do with me I he was h no we again I like me rugby league it was a good game man I came back and I knew the up to no good us what up very immature these Lads like where it [ __ ] X Factor was on so any I wouldn't say I stormed off to bed but I went to bed and W I knew he'd done it again he was new to the club I thought give him a chance you know I don't want to be too hard on him and the next morning we're down for breakfast and he comes up to me he says um did you find him controlled and I was I was going to be polite him but when he said to I went go [ __ ] yourself that's what I said yeah yeah we be covered after that a little bit you know you speak about that um confidence obviously that goal that you scored for Everton when you came on against Arsenal like did you believe that you were ready for that level at that age yeah I've said this a few times um when went into time with 's first team and this is when being disrespectful that means you're going to be disrespectful a few times i' I've honestly believed I was the best player in the team yeah when a first went in and it was agent to him as well like we fighting relegation weren't the best team and but I felt I was the best player and when I got in started playing a few games then I was playing for England I knew I had to I had to go and I always used to enjoy watching man united growing up and um and I knew that was the club I wanted to go to and um then when I went to United that was a different challenge because you've got top world class players and yeah um big change was the mentality the mindset was completely different and I knew I had to make a impact immediately obviously that you the explosion obviously happened after that goal against Arsenal but what a goal the big International s of I mean you tore France to shreds in Euro 2004 and I I I say this this and to be fair the the non-english people in the room sometimes t a little bit and start saying well what if would have been I generally think if you had got injured in that quarterfinal against Portugal Eng would have won I genuinely think you know you you you were a more than I genuinely think we would have won that and I know your confidence is unbelievable back then I mean still is now but it was back then it was frightening for a young player to see I'd never seen anything like it in my life do you feel that we would have won that tournament that if we if he' just stayed fit yeah I think I felt I was just enjoying it it was like like i' be in the games room and you know what I was like I couldn't sit still and I'd be in the games room i' be tormenting someone somewhere um and then I just couldn't W the games and I remember I always remember um not just in Portugal but then in the World Cup in 2006 remember in the after the warm-up and seeing players and I could see fearing some of the players and thinking it's not good this and but I just like to play with the freedom and just yeah did you ever feel the pressure then did you ever feel pressure yeah no I used to I used to think if I play well if we win the tournament it's because of me if we don't then I'd still think it was because of me because I didn't perform as well as I should have so that was always what do you feel like the injuries because you were so heavily relied on a club level and I'm guessing you were the type of player that would play through an injury do you think them injuries before tournament do you think you could have been managed better throughout the season um to be to be fair I've I've I had a few broken feeds um but then I've never I've never had injuries in my knees I've never had um muscle injuries I think because of the way I'm built yeah and quite strong but um and i' had a few Cuts but so I was quite lucky actually with injuries few broken feet that was it but you you could never be rested I mean you you'd have been a nightmare rested what I'm saying to We we played three games a week and I always used to remember them man just saying can't rest [ __ ] Rooney you know what I mean because literally he would would play Sunday say Wednesday Saturday you would play every single game he would never rest you because he thought that was bad for you to rest you know what I mean and you thought that as well yeah no I had to play I if I didn't play for or when I was injured coming back it used to take me a bit of time and probably because you know I went the ultimate professional as well so that obviously takes a toll as well on it and but when I was playing consistently playing um I I do I felt like I didn't need to rest any regrets about that when you know you being when you look back yeah I think um and I spoke about it when I done documen and stuff and um had different issues and end up drinking um way too much and um obviously that took all and you can always look back and think if you didn't do that would you have played at an even higher level achieve more play for longer all these questions but again in hindsight of course you know that obviously I think you spoke mebe when you were younger uh having a few drinks I was the same you were the same people then sort of might say oh uh if they're talking about you you're so high profile or Rooney should have been more professional but is it difficult not because of you it's you're actual upbringing exactly where you from it's like everything is a drink and and I'm not saying that in a bad way it's like when I grew up with my dad going to watch Everton games everyone you mess at the pub you went to the pub afterwards my dad managed that much it seems you mess at the pub you went to PU afterwards you have a christening everyone goes for it it's like everything is around it's raining yeah it's sunny yeah but everything you think it's like it's like especially in Liverpool not the Irish the Irish everyone but everyone every kid gets Christan I'm not sure anyone's bother about the Christan B get the Christan we but you know what I mean you're ply in that environment yeah and again obviously you obviously know where where I grew up as well and we're an easy place to live but I used to absolutely loved growing up there and taught me so many different things and I remember when I was 14 I was crossing the road um I think it was on Thursday or something like that and I was playing with you under 19 on Sat forever col Nai was the manager so I'm crossing the road I've got a bag of side a cigarette forever the car stops to let me cross it was call Nai we used to go to like an abandon an empty house and we'd knock knock the windows through and we'd sit in there and um drink like what I'm saying regrets I don't mean because that again J makes a good point that's part of your makeup that's prob proba major great player as well that hunger that desire and being bit been of a jack thead that's all part of the package you were a street fighter as a player weren't you you're Street Fighter everything was a fight for you on the pitch it was a yeah I had a few issu anger issues and no I don't mean that I mean just the way you played I always felt that was when I was at me best absolutely I think to be fair I would say that in your first 10 years of your career when you had that street fighting sort of and you get older you and you drop a bit deeper you know you you do change don't you and that's what that's what happened just I always think that every football player that finishes at sort of like 32 33 34 we're all we're all in the same position you've got to navigate another 30 40 Years of your life haven't you and still remain stimulated sort of want to get up every single day is that coaching for you is that what you see your longterm sort of like next 30 Years yeah I no I hope so of course and um I I love football I love the game uh I love watching it love being involved in it um and obviously there's different opportunities there but I don't think and one for instance what you're doing I that I wouldn't be able to do that and that's obviously is you talking about pund tree like no but don't mean the pund tree but like good at the pund tree fan but like I don't mind doing a say now I'm doing a few one next week maybe one the week after stuff it's I don't mind doing that but then for me to commit to it what I don't want to do is commit to like you have a a long-term plan with it and then let them down if a job comes up yeah you know what I mean so that's um you know if you didn't stay though it is cuz I I sometimes think about that cuz there's certain players I'm not saying you you've got real passion for the game but I've seen other players who have played with I'm thinking they w't that passionate but they end up going into coaching and management and good luck to them but I almost feel is it they're almost filling a gap that're actually worried that if I don't stay in the game what am I actually going to do is is that a fear for you if you don't stay in Co because said you're still only 38 yeah if you don't stay in coaching man do you think actually what would I do boxing get back on the phone yeah no um no listen there's so much especially like now I've I've been off off work now for what a month or so um and it's the first time really I've been able to enjoy the tal with kids and um getting up every more to school taking them to school going to watch them play football cuz I've obviously lived in the state as well I missed a lot of that so you you've got that and there's different different businesses I've got different opportunities to do things but i' definitely want to go down to man m rout and if that doesn't work at least I can turn around you know what I'll give her a go and it's would you be I mean obviously you want to be a manager primarily at the mon would you ever go to the point whereby you thought okay actually I would be an assistant or do you think that's just not for you um it's depends yeah Pepa [Laughter] comes say no but like you see what arteta is doing now and I strongly believe a lot of that's from learning what yeah okay Guardiola is doing and so it depends on what the situation is last couple of questions what do you make of the current Manchester United Team uh at when you watch them frustrating um I think there's there's talent in there but I just think there's a a mindset which he needs to change and watching games and you watch some games and I think really good but then all of a sudden it's like a a a switch which flips and um he can go from being really good to really bad and there's a lot consistency and last question you said about you wanted to be a manager but there's an interview you did a few weeks ago I think Cara have you got that interview that absolutely staggered me this ah James's phone we say hello to James I'm just think I was just doing the podcast with asking about PE my Benson edges me and Phil mat the magazine oh yeah here we go degree in law um I was going through the process and then obviously the job at DC United come up so I went into that soort of always been interested in um if it wasn't working at the time of football then it's something which I probably will revisit because it's a real in so really so so criminal law is that cuz I mean to be a lawy sometimes you have to have a bit of fun with the media as well be fair you have to sleep seven years don't you to be La Fair um you can fast track no it's it's it's something which I've always watched and looked at as well and um remember when CLE had the C case with um Rebecca vardy and I was there with the bar the lawyers I was like I was saying to the say that right you need to ask this question looking at me thinking but and then I did apply it was to not University I applied to to go in and and try and study but then obviously did go away was that when you at Derby yeah so so what I'm saying you got the time now is it is it happening what's happening QC Q I do got the wigs on that's absolutely amazing thank you for joining brilliant cheers brother thank [Music] you

Channel: The Overlap

Views: 2,424,850

Keywords: Sky Sports, Sport, Football, Premier League, Champions League, Manchester United, Gary Neville, MNF, Jamie Carragher, the overlap, overlap, g nev, nev, overlap interview, interview, Stick to Football, Ian Wright, Jill Scott, Roy Keane, The Overlap on tour, Wayne Rooney, Rooney, Birmingham City, Derby County, England, Mourinho, Rooney Best Goals, Rooney Boxing, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, Old Trafford, Scouser, Liverpool, Everton, Coleen Rooney

Id: _5p4LAemduE

Length: 67min 15sec (4035 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 21 2024