Rooney: I was wrong

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has admitted he was wrong to question the club’s ambitions going forward.

Rooney, 25, stunned the football world when he handed in a transfer request at Old Trafford in October after his contract talks broke down.

The former Everton striker said the club’s failure to sign big-name players and a lack of ambition was reason behind his decision as speculation ran wild as to where Rooney would head.

But just four days later, the issue was smoothed over and Rooney had signed a new five-year deal.

“I went to see the manager and David Gill and asked them for answers,” Rooney told MUTV.

“Now I realise it has nothing to do with me but I wanted to make sure it was the right thing for me to do. I got the answers in the end but looking back it was probably wrong of me to do that.”

Rooney said a visit from 30 fans to his home, although alarming, made him understand the reaction to his comments, but he denied he would have signed for arch-rivals, Manchester City.

“I looked out and saw 30 blokes with their hoods up. I wasn’t going to invite them in for tea,” Rooney said.

“I understood some of the fans were disappointed and felt let down. But it was just one of those things I had to get right. Thankfully I have sorted it out now. I have made the right decision and made myself happy.”

“But I didn’t even think about where I was going to go. There was no way I would have gone to Manchester City and there was more chance of me going to City than Liverpool.”

Rooney also signalled his intent to become a manager once his playing career finishes, but said he was determined to earn his stripes.

“I would like to be a manager. That would be my ambition when I finish playing,” Rooney said.

“You see the players who have played for Sir Alex and gone on to be good managers. I am hoping to do that one day. But I wouldn’t like to follow the manager here, or start at an Everton or Manchester United.”

“I want to learn something about the lower leagues and build a reputation that way rather than just jumping into a big club.”

“It is not right if someone goes in and gets a big job with no experience. There are managers who have worked for years trying to get that.”

Fri 31 December, 2010