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Rooney on Sir Alex (Managed Rooney between 2004 and 2013):
Rooney on Ferguson’s man-management and motivation
‘It’s documented we had disagreements but disagreements are good in football. [Disagreeing] gives you ways to improve and think about things differently.
‘The best way to motivate me? Confrontation. I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been a bit angrier.
‘Fergie knew exactly what I needed. I’d say 90 per cent of the games I played under him we were arguing at half-time.’
Rooney on Ferguson not holding grudges
‘I never got used to [Ferguson rounding on him]. I used to think, “I’m playing well, he’ll have a go at someone else today.” And it would be me again.
‘Portsmouth was the worst one. It got really bad. This was at half-time. I went back out and scored a hat-trick.
‘I remember sitting on the coach thinking, “I’ve gone too far there” but the good thing about him, he’d go to the toilet in the coach or to get a coffee and walk past you on the way back and just, like, slap you on the back of the head. That was his way of saying, “The argument is gone.” He never carried grudges.’
Rooney on Ferguson’s emphasis on trust
‘I don’t think you will get better than how he managed his players and the trust he gave them to manage the dressing room themselves. That management. It’s the best I’ve ever seen.
‘It wasn’t complicated. The big thing was he had trust in people. He trusted his coaches to put sessions on, he trusted his players.
‘People always ask how were his team talks: a lot of his team talks were just, ‘You 11 are better than them. Go win the game.’
Sir Alex on Rooney
The pair may have had a rocky relationship during their time together at Old Trafford, however, there is nothing but admiration for one another now.
Speaking back in 2016, Ferguson hailed Rooney ahead of his testimonial by claiming he could have excelled in ‘any era’.
Ferguson said: ‘He [Rooney] was an exciting signing [in 2004]. It was fairly shortly after I’d got rid of the idea of retiring and changed my mind, and I had to rethink about how we were going to take the club forward.
‘When you make the decision to retire, you stop thinking, but once I decided to stay I started thinking again and it was really centred around bringing energy back into the team by looking at young players.
‘Of course there was Cristiano Ronaldo, then there was 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.’
And speaking after his arrival at Old Trafford in 2004, Ferguson let fans know exactly why Rooney stood out.
Ferguson said: ‘Wayne is truly blessed. He doesn’t just have ability, he has a fire inside him.’
David Moyes on Rooney (Managed Rooney at Everton in 2002-04, and at United in 2013-14)
After replacing Sir Alex as manager at Old Trafford, Moyes gave his former Everton youngster the harsh treatment to get the best out of him.
Ahead of the 2013-14 campaign, Moyes told Rooney he had ‘gone soft’, which led to a turnaround in the forward’s form before he earned a new deal worth around £300,000-per-week.
Speaking about Rooney’s return to top form, Moyes revealed the following:
‘I remember when he came to see me,’ Moyes said. ‘I said to him: “If you ask me what’s missing – I think you’ve gone a bit soft”.
‘I thought he hadn’t been the hard-working, aggressive player he was. But now in games people are saying: “Look at the effort he is putting in.” It’s his work-rate, not just for himself but for the team. He’s become an all-round team player who is also a technically gifted footballer.’
