Wayne Rooney is all set for his testimonial match at Old Trafford tonight where he will lead Manchester United against his boyhood club Everton FC.
Wayne Rooney is all set for his testimonial match at Old Trafford tonight where he will lead Manchester United against his boyhood club Everton. He told Manchester United’s official website: "I'm excited - I think it'll be a good game but also a good pre-season game, which we need going into the new season. I'm grateful to the club for granting me this testimonial and hopefully we'll raise a lot of money for charity. I think before the game and at the end I might get a bit emotional, but come kick-off it'll be a normal game and it'll act as good preparation for me and the other players, as we'll get more minutes under our belts going into the new campaign."
When asked about the opposition he said: "Yes, it was. I'm grateful to Everton for the time I spent there - I was there from the age of nine to 18 - and they helped me to progress to become a senior footballer. So I felt it was right to ask Everton and they have been very supportive of the game, so I'd like to thank them as well."
Speaking about his career, former Manchester United and Everton manager David Moyes said: “He was outstanding. He scored and I said to him after the game that he would be with the first team the next season, but we actually called him up earlier and made him a substitute at Southampton in April. He was 16 and we had to get him out of school! That kind of talent doesn’t come along often. I was lucky to have joined the club that had Wayne.”
Check out Rooney's best goals for Manchester United
Wayne Rooney has played 12 seasons for United, scoring 245 goals in 520 appearances and lifting 10 major trophies including five Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.
While Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who managed Rooney longest hailed his impact along with Ronaldo’s during his second dominant period at Manchester United. He said: “Of course there was Cristiano Ronaldo, then there was Wayne Rooney, and it was a fantastic period. The two of them were unbelievable. Wayne came in as a first-team player right away, even though he was only 18, and he’s gone on to play for Manchester United for 12 years, which is very difficult in the present day. I always think that great players can play in any era; Bobby Charlton would have been a great player today and Wayne Rooney would have been a great player back then.”
Rooney with Ferguson (Getty Images)
Louis Van Gaal, who made Rooney his captain said: “I was very quickly convinced of his personality and that’s why he was easy to work with. I quickly decided he would be my captain, also because of the attitude of his fellow players towards him.” Mourinho, who hasn’t managed Rooney in a competitive game yet but is excited to do so said: “It will be a very proud night for Wayne and for his family and I have no doubt the fans inside Old Trafford will show him the love and respect that he deserves. Wayne has provided many memorable goals and performances in his time here; I am sure that none of you will forget the Champions League hat-trick he scored on his debut or the stunning overhead kick against Manchester City in 2011. I am sure he will provide many more memorable moments for United in the coming years.”
Zlatan excited to play with Rooney
Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he is excited by the prospect of playing alongside Wayne Rooney at Manchester United and described his new team mate as the "perfect partner for a striker".
The new pairing could make their Old Trafford debut together in Rooney's testimonial against his former club Everton on Wednesday, having linked up to good effect in United's 5-2 friendly victory over Galatasaray in Gothenburg on Saturday.
"I said many years ago the perfect partner for a striker is Wayne Rooney," Ibrahimovic told Manchester United TV on Wednesday. "He works not only for himself but for the striker and the whole team. I'm absolutely happy to be one of the guys beside him."
Ibrahimovic also praised Rooney's longevity at Old Trafford, a sentiment echoed by former United manager Alex Ferguson, who has paid his own tribute to the forward in the official programme for Wednesday's match.
"(Wayne's) gone on to play for Manchester United for 12 years, which is very difficult in the present day," said Ferguson. "I always think that great players can play in any era. Bobby Charlton would have been a great player today and Wayne Rooney would have been a great player back then."
It remains to be seen what role Rooney will play under new coach Jose Mourinho this season, with the forward having been increasingly used as a midfielder under previous boss Louis van Gaal.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, signed from Borussia Dortmund in the close season, is a natural candidate for a role behind the striker, while United's reported pursuit of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba threatens to add further competition in the middle of the pitch.
Ibrahimovic, however, is confident that Mourinho will find a way of getting the best from United's talented options. "I think every big player can work with other big players," Ibrahimovic continued. "That's not a problem.
"We are 11 players not two players on the pitch. It's up to the coach what he wants but, with him, I see no problems, only success."
You can watch the match live on Manchester United's Facebook page at 1:30 AM IST.
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