Not everyone lived up to Sir Alex Ferguson’s standards throughout his 26-year spell as Manchester United manager – and only a select few exceeded them. Step forward, Wayne Rooney.
The Croxteth-born striker joined United from boyhood club Everton in 2004 for a then-record fee of £25.6 million, becoming the world’s most expensive teenage footballer.
At the time, United had made an abysmal start to the Premier League campaign after picking up one win from their opening four games.
But as they trailed Arsenal and Chelsea by a hefty seven points, a delighted Sir Alex Ferguson made a statement that would heap further pressure on the young shoulders of Rooney.
“I can see Wayne having the same impact as Eric Cantona had on the team when I signed him,” said Ferguson at the time.
“I am very excited. We have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years. Wayne is not the finished article yet, but he is a fantastic talent and he proved that at Euro 2004. He has marvellous potential.”
So what did Rooney say to being compared to Cantona, one of United’s all-time greats? “Cantona was a brilliant player,” he said.
“It’s flattering to be compared to him because of what he achieved, but I’ve only been playing professionally for two years.”
Rooney added: “I’ve got to prove who I am. Obviously there’s going to be expectations, but I am confident that I can fulfil them.”
And fulfill them he did. Rooney went on to establish himself as one of the Manchester United greats after netting a hat-trick on his debut against Fenerbahce.
In fact, 14 years after signing for the club, he became United’s all-time leading scorer, breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s long-standing record.
Looking back, Rooney’s comments from his first interview make for interesting reading.
“If I’m not playing well then I can’t have any complaints if I’m not in the team,” he said. “My aim is to get a regular place in the side. I’m only 18 and have still got a lot to prove and learn, but there’s no better place to do it than here.”
He added: “I want to get some silverware this season. There’s no reason why we can’t win the European Cup with the squad we’ve got. Manchester United is a massive club and I hope I can stay here for the rest of my career.”
Image credit: Getty
Image credit: Getty
Rooney, who returned to Everton in the summer of 2017, would go on to score 253 goals in 559 appearances for United. Not a bad record, ey.