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.