Wayne Rooney’s first international break as a former England player may be upon us, but don’t expect that to keep him out of the headlines….
By ‘headlines’ we are (of course) referring to the exclusive interview he gave to talkSPORT and absolutely nothing else.
Speaking to Mark Saggers, Rooney explains his decision to retire from international football in the interview, which aired on Sunday. He also discusses some of the managers he has played under, for both club and country.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old names Sir Alex Ferguson as “the best”, praising his man management skills.
He also speaks well of Louis van Gaal, who was replaced as Manchester United boss by Jose Mourinho over a year ago.
The Dutchman ended his time at United with an FA Cup win but his failure to qualify for the Champions League in his second season ultimately cost him his job. United had finished the 2015/16 season in fifth place and fans had expressed their frustration at Van Gaal’s style of play.
According to Rooney, however, the situation would’ve improved had Van Gaal been allowed to remain at the club.
“I was pleased he won the FA Cup because he got a lot of stick, but I believe if he had stayed then he would have got better. He had all the small details, not just on the pitch.
“The one thing he did was keep the standard with the players and got the best out of you every day. He filmed training sessions and we sat back and watched them. He was tough in that aspect.”
Hmm. We’re not entirely sure too many United fans would agree, Wayne.
Under Mourinho United finished in sixth in the Premier League last season, one place lower than they had under Van Gaal. However, a Europa League success secured a Champions League return for the club.
