Wayne Rooney is in good form given that he’s trussed up in what looks like a wet suit with plates stuck to it. He’s in Badalona, a forgettable industrial suburb adjacent to Barcelona, to shoot an advert for FIFA 07, the latest instalment of EA Sports’ hugely popular computer game series.

Brazilians Ronaldinho and Juninho also feature, along with Valencia hotshot David Villa, but they’re long gone by the time the private jet carrying Rooney from Manchester touches down for a four-hour stay in Catalonia.

The 20-year-old soon takes centre stage before banks of lights and cameras in a vast photographic studio, where he performs football movements to be replicated in the game. Looking more assured and at ease with such requests than a year ago, Rooney plays to the camera with a Cantona-like swagger. Without being instructed, he then shadow boxes, karate kicks and even does a pirouette that leaves the crew amused and impressed. They’ve all worked with big-time footballers who make Mariah Carey look modest, so they appreciate Rooney enjoying himself as if he was messing about with his mates on the pavements of Liverpool.

FourFourTwo is the only media present and we’re here to interrogate the man who holds the hopes of an expectant nation on his broad shoulders.

The hype around your injury before the World Cup was unbelievable. Do you think it affected the rest of the squad?

I think all the stuff in the papers went on a bit too much. I asked for people to leave me alone and let me try and get fit, but the press went on about it every day, which was frustrating. I didn’t want the players thinking we were a one-man team like the papers suggested, because we weren’t. We had many players we couldn’t afford to lose – Becks, Owen, Stevie, Lampard and others. Without me they could still win. But every day, different doctors were coming out on TV offering their so-called expert opinions on my injury, even though they hadn’t even seen my foot. One said that I had three breaks in my foot when I didn’t. And most of them didn’t know what stage of recovery I was at, but they spoke as if they did. It was frustrating, but I just had to get on with things.

What was the most ridiculous story?

Papers exaggerating the oxygen tent and stuff like that were probably the worst. They said I’d be sleeping in the tent at home when it was actually at the training ground. It was huge and I had to go in there for 100 minutes, twice a day, with a five-hour break between the sessions. I did the first session at 7am and, after training, waited around to do the next one. I hated it because it made me feel sick. The doctor told me that it would get better, but after eight sessions it was just as bad. I hated being stuck inside it for so long too, just lying there as if I was dead. After four days it made me feel so weak that I wasn’t up for training, so I didn’t go in it again.

Was there any stage when you thought you’d miss the World Cup?

I’d be lying if I said I always thought I’d make the World Cup. When I first did the injury I doubted whether I would be going because my foot needed to heal and even then I’d need to regain my fitness. The boss [Sir Alex Ferguson] gave me a talk about not setting my heart on playing in the World Cup. That way, if I wasn’t ready in time, I wouldn’t be so disappointed. But if I did make it, which he hoped, it would be a huge bonus.

I just stayed focused and determined and tried to blank everything out in order to prepare for making it. I was probably a nightmare for [girlfriend] Coleen to live with.

When you finally got there, how did it feel to actually be playing in a World Cup? Did it live up to your expectations?

What I didn’t expect was to see so many England fans in Germany. For each game, we had to spend the night before in a city-centre hotel, organised by FIFA, not our own FA. This was to make sure we arrived at the stadiums on time. Sometimes these hotels can be really noisy and horrible but the ones in Germany were all fine.

In the hotel they gave us in Nuremberg, before the Trinidad and Tobago match, there was a big massage room on the ground floor and I was sitting there being massaged, soon after we arrived, when I looked through one of the windows and realised I could see straight out onto the street and there were a dozen or so England fans outside, walking up and down singing and shouting. I shouted to one of the lads, ‘Come and have a look at this,’ and they joined me. One of the fans then saw me and started chanting my name. Then all the others joined in and more and more of them appeared, all singing my name and the names of other England players. In the end there must have been about 3,000 England fans shouting and singing England songs outside the hotel. We waved and sang some of the songs back to them.

That was probably my highlight from Germany. A few of the players said they’d have liked to be out there with the fans, singing, having a few beers and walking about with their mates. I would definitely have enjoyed it. Our fans were brilliant throughout. Their support was positive and genuine and they did help lift us, unlike some of the football reporters...

As for playing, it was nice to play in the World Cup, but we went there to win and came back very disappointed. Although we took part, we came back with nothing.
After all that hard work to regain your fitness, how did it feel when you saw that red card in front of your eyes?

It was a horrible moment, and a horrible night. I didn’t intend to stamp on Carvalho, but I’ve watched it back on TV and if I’m being honest it did look like a sending off. The ref made the decision and I had to live with that. What was worse was that we got knocked out. I would have loved to have seen the lads get through to the semi-final, even though I wouldn’t have been able to play in the game.

What did the England players and staff say after the game? What did Sven say?

The second it finished, I had a shower and got changed. The lads were still on the pitch, knackered and gutted. Most of them were lying down, unable to move.

Slowly, everyone came in the dressing room and it was quiet at first. People were disappointed. Personally, I felt I’d let the players down, even though I felt innocent. I was sad and depressed rather than angry. After a bit the players started telling me not to worry about it, that it wasn’t my fault. I appreciated that, and that’s when I felt a few tears in my eyes. I don’t cry often, and I hadn’t cried when I’d been sent off.

Sven came over, to ask what happened. He wasn’t angry and he didn’t give me a bollocking. I told him my version of the incident, how I hadn’t meant it. When I’d finished he said: ‘These things happen’.

When did you first speak to Sir Alex Ferguson after the World Cup?

He left me a message on the night of the Portugal game. I called him the day after and he told me to have a holiday and make sure that I was ready to play for United at the start of the season. He was positive and I appreciated it. By that stage, I was just really looking forward to going on holiday, relaxing and being with my friends and family. Coleen and I hired a private luxury yacht and went cruising in the Med off the south of France. We didn’t fancy a hotel as there would have been a lot of hassle from the press. Plus, I’d had enough of hotels!

In full flow, bringing colour to a drab England performance
In full flow, bringing colour to a drab England performance


How did it feel going back for pre-season? Did you feel that you’d had a proper break from football?

Not really. Three weeks isn’t enough, but then by the end of the three weeks I was bored and just wanted to play football again. I always have a few balls in the house and can’t stop messing around with them. Even if I don’t kick them I’ll be messing about with them in my hands and feeling them. I don’t know why I do it and a few things have been smashed, but I don’t like being away from a football and that’s how it’s always been. So towards the end of my three weeks off I got frustrated because there wasn’t any football on the telly either. I was happy when I started pre-season.

You were sent off in the Amsterdam tournament and suspended for three games at the start of the season. How annoyed were you at the FA’s stance?

It was hard to take. The FA made their decision and [sarcastically] it was very nice of them to support me with a three-game ban, four if you think that I missed the Ajax friendly too. I don’t want to say too much, but I didn’t even think it was a red card so I was devastated about it, especially because the start of the season is so important.

It’s been a difficult couple of years for Manchester United, given the rise and rise of Chelsea. How would you rate the current team and are there any areas that United are lacking in compared with the other title challengers?

I don’t think so. We’ve got a good squad and we finished last season strongly. We’ve got a lot of young players who are doing well and hopefully more will come through. Then we’ve got the experience of Giggsy, Scholesy, Edwin van der Sar and Gary Neville. They can help the younger players to become better players, the likes of myself and Ronaldo. Everyone likes to see new faces at any football club and I’m no different, but I think we can win the title with the squad we’ve got.
Really? Do the players believe that? Because many United fans don’t...

Really. I wouldn’t say something if I didn’t believe it. Chelsea are going to have some top stars sitting on the bench and you can see how that unnerves some players. I wouldn’t like sitting on the bench week in week out. They might lose it at times.

Will you miss Ruud van Nistelrooy, both as a player and a person?

Ruud’s a good lad. I never found him moody and learnt a lot from him. It will be hard to replace him because his scoring record at United was unbelievable, 25-30 goals a year. That will be hard to follow, but the rest of the team will have to chip in. The likes of Louis [Saha] and myself will have to take more responsibility.

What kind of striker do you prefer to play alongside?

I’m not too bothered. I liked playing with Van Nistelrooy. He holds the ball up well, is good at link-up play and he scores goals. If I play up front with Louis then I’ll know that his main strength is getting behind players with his pace and I’ll adapt to that, as I would if I played alongside Scholesy or Ole [Solskjaer], because I know they like to get behind players too.

Which areas of your game do you still need to work on?

My left foot. It’s something I’ve been doing in training, working on my passing and shooting, and I feel more comfortable striking the ball with my left foot now. I need to improve my heading too. I haven’t scored a headed goal for United and the lads have been winding me up in training about that. They’re getting on my back because it’s dragging on a bit.

What do you think United can achieve this season in Europe?

We were bitterly disappointed to go out in the group stage last season, and to finish bottom of the group too. It was a big embarrassment: with the squad we’ve got, we should have done better. Now we have to look to experienced players like Scholes and Giggsy to go further this time. I’ve played a few games in Europe myself now so I think I can contribute more.

Is the standard higher in the Champions League than at the World Cup?

It probably is, yeah. The games are more intense and there are more quality players. It’s brilliant to play in the Champions League. Football-wise, I’d say it’s more attractive than the World Cup.

Back to England. You must be raring to get back and put things right. What are your aims this season and beyond?

To win our qualifying games in the Euros. For me personally, I’d like to get a few goals as I don’t think I score enough for England. My record’s poor so I want to improve.

How frustrating was it to sit out the first two Euro 2008 qualifiers?

Of course it was disappointing, and what made it worse was that my United ban meant I missed a month of football. I just had to work on keeping my fitness right.

Several players have talked about letting the country down at the World Cup. How do you go about winning back fans who might feel disillusioned by the performances?

I think a lot of the players believed we had the squad to win the World Cup. Yet we were nowhere near good enough. The fans were brilliant, but I think the press raised expectations too high. There were parties in some countries when their team got to the quarter-finals, yet our press had a go at us for the way we played from the very first game. We know our performance against Ecuador [in the Round of 16] wasn’t great, but I don’t think the level of expectation from the media helped the morale of the country or the players. It was as if they wouldn’t settle for anything less than England winning the whole thing.

What’s your relationship with Steve McClaren like? Have you spoken to him since the World Cup?

We’ve spoken a few times since the World Cup and so far it’s been good. He deserved the chance to be England manager. He’s really positive and I’m looking forward to working with him.

Are you looking forward to working with Terry Venables?

Yeah, the players who’ve worked with him before say he’s a great coach with a lot of ideas and he knows the game of football inside out. It will be nice to work with someone like that and hopefully he’ll make me a better player.

How do you view your role in the team? You’re only 20 but with Michael Owen injured you’ll be the senior striker...

I don’t see myself any differently – I’m still an England player who is part of the squad. There’s competition for places, especially with the way Crouchy is playing. His record is brilliant since he came into the team. And Jermain Defoe is back in the squad too, so there’s competition there.

You put yourself forward to be England captain. Was that a serious offer?

A lot was made of that in the papers, but I was joking. In the future, when I’ve got more experience then I’d like to captain my country. I like to feel I can be a leader on the pitch, urge the lads on, even if my example is sometimes not seen as the best. But I’m getting better at that.
What do you expect from John Terry as a captain? What makes a great captain? And who’s the best you’ve worked with?

JT gives his all in every game, with or without an armband. Everyone sees that and it’s great to have someone like that in your team. I don’t think that will change, although he’s now got more responsibility on and off the field. He’ll have to get the players fired up before games in the dressing room, and he should make sure that young players blend into the squad without any problems. A captain should take care of things like that.

Best captain? Roy Keane was great. He was the main man when I arrived and he treated everyone the same. He got everyone fired up and he was the main shouter, but I wasn’t scared of him. What Roy was doing was trying to make you do the right things at the right times, and I didn’t mind that. If you didn’t listen to him, or just gave him a mouthful back, he’d give up on you in the end. His attitude was that it was your loss. Which was true.

Did you know that JT was a childhood United fan? Do you ever rib him about it?

I think a lot of lads my age were because United were the best team in the world. I spoke to him about it and asked whether he’d ever join United, but I think he’s definitely a Chelsea man now.

During the World Cup you were asked to play up front on your own. Do you think you’re capable of playing that role or is it a waste of your ability?

I think I can play that role but I also think it takes a lot out of my game. I like to run at players and draw them to me. To do that it’s better to play in a two rather than alone. Given the choice, I see myself as a striker who plays behind the main front man.

It looks like Steve McClaren is going to play with two wingers and two strikers. Are you pleased? How do you think it will affect your game?

I’m pleased, yeah. Having two wingers to get the ball into the box should give the forwards more space and chances.

How do you rate the strikers who came into McClaren’s first squad: Ashton, Bent and Defoe, as well as Crouch?

I’ve not seen Dean Ashton first-hand, but he went straight into the West Ham team last season and did really well, scoring some top goals. He looks sharp, so it’s a shame about his broken ankle. Crouchy has done really well. He hasn’t disappointed anyone since he started playing for England. When he first started he was getting booed, now the fans love him. He’s a great player to have around the dressing room.

Jermain Defoe was disappointed that he didn’t go to the World Cup and I can understand that, although he didn’t play that many games for Tottenham near the end of last year. But he’s a striker who can change a game.Same for Darren Bent; he scored a lot of goals for Charlton last year and was the leading English goalscorer so he had every right to be disappointed that he missed out on the World Cup. I’m sure he’ll get over that and push for a place this season.

You’ve mentioned that you worry that referees are picking you out for special attention. Are there things you can do to stop that happening?

I don’t think so. I play the game the way I see it, and if that means going in for a tackle then I’ll do it. With referees in general, it’s getting more and more that you can’t even touch a player. You can get a yellow or even a red card for the slightest tackle.

Thierry Henry told FFT that he dived against Spain because he was fed up of being fouled, staying on his feet and getting nothing from the ref. Against Portugal you were being fouled for at least five seconds before ‘the incident’. Maybe you should start diving too…

[Laughs] I’d never dive. I’d like to think of myself as an honest player. That’s just the way I play. I don’t like diving, it’s one thing which football doesn’t need.



You seem so up for it on the pitch yet off it, you come across as very relaxed. Which one is the real Wayne Rooney?

Both. On the pitch, I want to win and that shows. Off the pitch, I’m a young lad and I might come across as shy and quiet around people that I don’t really know. People who know me best – my mates, my family, people I can trust – know that I’m quite a bubbly character.

Are you finding it easier to cope with the media pressure these days? How do you relax away from the spotlight?

Doing interviews is like playing football. The more practice you have, the better and more comfortable you become. I’m quite relaxed doing interviews now. Away from football, I’ll just be lazy and lie on the couch watching TV. I’ve been watching a lot of Shameless and Prison Break of late.

What, for you, is the perfect day?

I’ll wake up at seven and get ready to go training. We’ll have a few five a-side games in training and I’ll score lots of goals. I’ll go home, relax for an hour or two, then go to see my family with Coleen and have a laugh. Then I’ll go for a drive around Liverpool with my mates. I know all the places in Liverpool. People recognise me there, but they’re fine. I got a bit of stick when I left Everton, but it’s OK now.