I’M OUT TO BE RECORD BREAKER
United ace Greenwood has Rooney in ambitious sights
MASON GREENWOOD had some big numbers and even bigger names thrown at him as he held court at St George’s Park yesterday.
Wayne Rooney’s England goalscoring record and Alan Shearer’s Premier League mark lie a long way in the distance for an 18- year- old with one full season of senior football under his belt. But such has been his impact at Manchester United that the rising star has been predicted to eclipse both.
Part of the England squad for the first time and facing off with more experienced squadmates for a starting role against Iceland on Saturday, Greenwood is in no way fazed by the stratospheric expectations an 18- goal season at Old Trafford has burdened him with. “Any young football player would want to break records – and, if you didn’t, there’s something wrong,” he said.
“It’s always nice to have visions and goals you set in your football career and that goes for virtually any England forward.
“Go out there and do your best and break records and just be remembered forever really.
“I feel ready to compete with anyone. Like in the league, I just see it as going out there with the ball at your feet, a smile on your face and just playing football. That’s what it is all about.”
Greenwood mentioned playing with a smile on his face half a dozen times during the conversation.
During that time his face barely cracked once
– even when he was reflecting on the thrill of his first England call- up.
You would not want to play him at poker.
Polite, impressive but guarded, he is a serious addition to manager Gareth Southgate’s squad after a wonderful breakthrough season.
If he has a secret – other than his prodigious two- footed talent and the rapid- fire backlift that so often beats defenders to the trigger – it is his ability to remain on an even keel.
Fame, fortune and first- team football have all been taken in his stride from the moment his manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer threw him on for his Manchester
United debut two seasons ago at Paris Saint- Germain with three minutes to go and a Champions League tie in the balance.
“Not many people can say they made their debut in such a special game like that,” said Greenwood.
“It gave me a lot of confidence because for him to put me on at that stage of the game showed he had confidence in me.
“I was just glad he did. It has helped me in my career and things are more calm now. I am used to it now because the pressure was high in that game.”
The journey since has been rocket- propelled.
If the next step comes with a debut in Reykjavik, Greenwood knows who his fantasy strike partner would be.
“It would be Harry Kane,” said the Yorkshireman of the Tottenham striker.
“When I was in the youth team I was watching him in the Premier League and obviously he’s a good finisher.
“He’s been a role model for me so it would be good for him to be a team- mate.”