Rooney: Requesting move biggest mistake
Reuters - Friday 07 September 2012, 12:50
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney
said requesting a transfer away from Old Trafford two years ago
was the biggest mistake of his career.
Rooney, who has been ruled out of England's World Cup
qualifier against Moldova in Chisinau on Friday because he is
recovering from a nasty gash to his thigh, made the comment in
his latest autobiography, which is being serialised by the Daily
Mirror.
In the book he refers to a statement he issued in October
2010 in which he questioned United's ability to attract top
players, and indicated that he wanted to leave Old Trafford
because the club could not meet his ambitions.
However, two days later he changed his mind and signed a new
five-year contract, but said he now looks back on the incident
with regret.
"In September 2010 my ankle puts me on the sidelines.
"I get frustrated with myself, my game, my injury, and
everything around me.
"I'm stuck in a cycle of bad form but I can't get out of it.
"And that's when I make the biggest mistake of my football
career.
"In October, I release a statement which publicly questions
my happiness at Old Trafford. Am I better off elsewhere?
"Everyone makes a fuss. There are discussions inside United
to sort out the issue, people outside United chuck their
opinions around, but the thing is, nobody really knows what's
going on in my life.
"None of them understand where I am in my career. They don't
know where my head's at.
"The only person who really knows what's going on in there
is me, but even I'm not sure what I want.
"Then the manager has his say. 'Sometimes you look in a
field and you see a cow and you think it's a better cow than the
one you have in your own field. And it never really works that
way'.
"He's saying the grass isn't always greener, and he's right.
"I like what's in my field. I'm wrong. United want the same
as me: trophies, success, to be the best."
The 26-year-old told Sky Sports he hoped to be back in
action for United later in the month, following the gash he
suffered after coming on as a substitute against Fulham a
fortnight ago.