Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney’s knowledge of the game and presence and will serve him well in his role as Derby County’s new boss, but the Scot cautioned him that management is a results business. Former England and United striker Rooney called time on his illustrious playing career and was named manager of Championship (second-tier) side Derby on Friday, having been interim boss following Dutchman Phillip Cocu’s departure.
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“He’s England’s top goal-scorer, he’s Manchester United’s top goal-scorer and he’s had a fantastic career as a player,” said Ferguson, who led United to 13 Premier League titles. “It’ll give him a starting point. But it’s a results industry and you need to get results. He’ll know that better than anyone. He’s had a good start... and he has knowledge of the game, a presence about him, and I hope he does well.”
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Rooney, who captained Manchester United and England, hangs up his boots as the all-time leading goalscorer for United and his country. He is also the second-highest goalscorer in Premier League history - behind only Alan Shearer - with 208 goals.
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Rooney made his debut for boyhood club Everton in 2002 and shot to prominence by scoring a sensational goal to beat then-champions Arsenal days before his 17th birthday.
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Rooney joined United in 2004 and went on to score 253 goals in 559 appearances during a 13-year spell for the Old Trafford club that saw the Red Devils pile up the trophies.
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Rooney may be Manchester United and England’s record goalscorer but he still believes he should have found the back of the net more often during his career, even though he was not a natural finisher.
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Rooney surpassed 1966 World Cup-winner Bobby Charlton as United’s all-time leading scorer, just as he did for England with a tally of 53 goals from 120 caps. Despite those figures Rooney, wrote in his Sunday Times column last year: “I’m going to be honest - and this might surprise you - but I’m not a natural goalscorer.”
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The 34-year-old added: “I was never a Gary Lineker or a Ruud van Nistelrooy; I never looked at myself that way. “I hold the goal records for Manchester United and England and am very proud about that - yet there have been better No 9s than me. “How did I become a record-breaker if I wasn’t a natural scorer? Time,” Rooney explained. “I played for United for 13 years, England for 15 years. I had time to break those records - and looking back I should have scored more.”
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Rooney backed Harry Kane to break his England record, although he would like the Tottenham Hotspur striker “to stay high as that No 9” after seeing him drop deeper in during the past two seasons. “I don’t think it will take long for Harry Kane to claim my England record and it would be a proud moment for me,” Rooney said. “I’ve never been a selfish player and it would be great for England for Harry to get there,” said Rooney. “Bobby Charlton had to wait 50 years (for Rooney to break his England record) - I hope it’s not so long for me.”
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