Previous United Captains Wayne Rooney’s Source Of Inspiration
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has revealed he took inspiration from past and present captains to help him find his own style of leading the team.
The Red Devils look increasingly likely to finish in the top four this season and qualify for next term’s Champions League in Rooney’s first campaign as club skipper.
The striker feels he has definitely played a part in getting the club back where they want to be by issuing rallying calls to his team-mates before crucial games.
“There are times when you have to speak up,” Rooney said. “I did that before the Tottenham game because I felt I had to.
“We had had a bad defeat in the FA Cup against Arsenal and I just wanted to reiterate to the players what our targets were for the remaining games of the season.
“The players responded to that and we have had some good results.”
Rooney admitted he has taken cues from the past and present captains he has watched and played with, such as current assistant coach Ryan Giggs.
“You can obviously look how people have done it before you,” he added.
“Giggs wasn’t captain here full-time in my time at United but the things he’s done have been a big help and still now.
“There were also leaders like Roy Keane, Gary Neville and David Beckham. There was Steven Gerrard and John Terry [for England], who were fantastic captains.
“There are different styles and different ways other people have done it.
“But I have to be my own person and do what I feel is the best way for me to captain the team. That is all I try to do.”
