EVERTON ROM COM Stay and TO UNITED win with us, Ross HORROR MOVIE...
Lukaku will need mental strength if he is to shine at United Rooney warns: Don’t let the pressure ruin dream move ONLY MESSI COULD THREATEN GOAL RECORD
WAYNE ROONEY has warned £75million signing Romelu Lukaku he could buckle under the pressure that engulfs Manchester United 24/7 if he doesn’t handle the mental demands right from the start.
Rooney, back at Everton after leaving Old Trafford, hit the ground running at United with a fairytale Champions League hat-trick against Turkish side Fenerbahce on his debut as an 18-year-old in September 2004.
That set the tone for a sparkling 13year United career that ended when he left the club on a free transfer last week as their all-time record goalscorer.
And Rooney knows better than anyone that, if strike star Lukaku is not bang on his game from the outset, life in the Old Trafford spotlight could easily turn into a struggle.
Rooney said: “Playing for Manchester United is a test of character as well as ability. You have got to be strong enough mentally to accept the challenge. “United are a football club that demands success. Romelu
has to be strong enough to take up that challenge. If he does that, with the ability he has got, he will be a success. “But if he doesn’t face the challenge, if he worries about things, then it will be more difficult for him.” Rooney, now 31, admits he was lucky to have boss Sir Alex Ferguson as well as home-grown stars Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes on hand to keep him focused on life in the fast lane at United. Their daily influence made it easier for Rooney t o understand t he standards expected from a United player. And Rooney claims Lukaku, who scored 25 Premier League goals for Everton last season, could find it harder to settle than he did – because United no longer have the dressing-room gate-keepers they had in his early days. Rooney’s stunning start at Old Trafford allied to an unshakeable self- belief and cast-iron mentality gave him the perfect weapons to develop into one of the club’s all-time greats. But while he acknowledges assistance will be on hand from Jose Mourinho and his staff to help new boy Lukaku deliver the goals his fee demands, the 24- year- old Belgian attacker will not have the same support structure he had. Rooney’s departure leaves Michael WAYNE ROONEY reckons his alltime Manchester United goal record could stand for decades – unless United sign the next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney eclipsed the longstanding 249-goal haul of Sir Bobby Charlton (right) with a Carrick as the only British link with United’s trophy-winning past.
And he admits in his last seasons at United he found it harder to help maintain the standards demanded by Ferguson and the Class of 92.
“Romelu has got people there who will give him the right guidance and get the best out of him but I was lucky to have some influential characters around me,” he said.
“There are standards that you have to keep when you are at United.
“That obviously came firstly from the free-kick at Stoke in January and ended his United career on 253 goals.
Sir Alex Ferguson believes it is a milestone that may never be broken – and Rooney is confident that it will stand the test of time.
“How long it lasts I don’t know,” said the new Everton star.
“Players don’t tend to stay at manager,manager Sir Alex,Alex and it was passed down through the dressing room by the likes of Giggsy, Gary Neville and Scholesy.
“Over the last few years it was down to me and Michael Carrick to keep the new players maintaining standards.
“That has been more difficult over the last few years, with some of the players who joined the club, but there are traditions at United that have to be maintained.
“It’s become harder but that’s not my problem any more. I’m not there any clubs for that long these days but you never know – especially if they get someone like Messi or Ronaldo!”
Rooney believes his goal record is a fitting legacy at Old Trafford.
But not playing a significant role in United’s two trophy triumphs in the EFL Cup at Wembley and the Europa League more. I’m just ecstatici to bbkbe back at Everton.”
Rooney has vowed to use his trophy-winning experiences at United to help instil the same standards of e excellence and ambition at Everton.
“We’ve got a good group at Goodison. It’s a good mix and I’ll be trying to help the young lads to get the best out of them,” he said.
Rooney’s career has come full circle – but he knows there will still be a huge expectancy to perform and justify his £170,000-a-week deal.
“To be honest it would have been easy for me to sit on the bench at United like I did last season and pick up my money but I am not that kind of person.
“I need to play, I need that challenge. I don’t just want to play and not care whether you win a trophy or not and just stay in the game.
“I want to play to try and be successful and Ronald Koeman and the club have shown me that ambition about where they want to go to.” in Stockholm meant it was time to leave.
He said: “Scoring that goal at Stoke was a huge moment for me as a player.
“I loved it at United, loved working with the players, but it was the right time for me to move on. I feel I’ve made the right decision joining Everton.” WAYNE ROONEY will tell Ross Barkley he does not need to leave Everton to be successful.
Barkley, 23, has refused to sign a new deal – and Tottenham and Arsenal are both circling the player.
Rooney left Everton for Manchester United as an 18-year-old in a £26million deal in 2004 and won numerous trophies at Old Trafford.
But he plans to urge Barkley to stay at Goodison, arguinga that Everton – who have spent more than £90m already this summer – are nown a different club to the oneo he left 13 years ago.
“With the ability Ross has got, of course we all want him to be a part of what we’re trying to achieve at Everton,” said Rooney. “He can help us get better. “But the decision about his future is down to him – and I am sure he will speak to the manager and do what’s right for him.
“This club has always had ambition but I feel it hasn’t really pushed on with that ambition, not so much the last couple of years but before that.
“But now they are starting to act on that ambition and it’s great to see as a fan. To come to Everton as a player and try to help with that and the direction they are going in meant it was the perfect club for me to come to.”
Rooney, though, will not be pushing boss Ronald Koeman to make him captain.
The striker was skipper for Manchester and England, but he said: “Phil Jagielka is the captain and of course I respect that.
“That is Ronald’s decision but of course I’ll give Jags and the other players in the dressing room help whether I have the armband or not.
“With the stuff I have learned I will try to help the players regardless of whether I am captain.”