Rooney: Management, England & Family Life | Overlap Exclusive

It’s time for our exclusive at-home interview with Wayne Rooney on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet.

Prior to his appointment as Plymouth Argyle manager, Wayne invites Gary Neville into his home, where they discuss a wide range of topics. Wayne opens up about his strong desire to return to management, a dream which has since come true.

In addition to his professional ambitions, Wayne offers a glimpse into his family life. He shares how his children are growing up with interests in sport, particularly in football and boxing, reflecting the sporting legacy that runs in the Rooney family.

Wayne also takes a nostalgic look back at his illustrious career with both Everton and Manchester United. He reveals some unheard stories from the training pitch, providing fans with a rare insight into his experiences at two of England’s biggest clubs.

As the conversation shifts towards international football, Wayne and Gary delve into the prospects for England ahead of EURO 2024. They discuss potential players for the national team to play in Germany, and Wayne shares his candid opinions on the current squad, offering his perspective on who should be representing England in the upcoming tournament.

Chapters
00:00 Promo / Introduction
02:21 Post-career
04:56 Rooney’s managerial ambitions
12:00 Rooney’s family life
19:20 How do Manchester United challenge for top titles again?
20:46 Everton breakthrough
26:30 Training at Manchester United
29:41 England loss against Iceland at Euro 2016
33:41 England’s chances at Euro 2024

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we’re going to interview Wayne Rooney he’s invited us to his house when you name your man united teams you know who’s your best center forward way is up there number one no one near him this is a a unique player one of the greatest players that Manchester United in England have ever had he was a Brian Robson Roy Keane and I can’t pay any higher compliment than that a fighter Warrior never give I always thought when he was playing what are you going to do when you finish playing football now the adrenaline and the energy that he had every single day he was like a Jack In The Box and never stopped talking never stopped moving how was he going to replace that dressing room but look he’s having a moment where he’s left Burmingham and he’s thinking what am I going to do [Music] next this his land it’s one of those houses that in like 200 years they’ll say just the way R used to live here [ __ ] hell it’s nice show me [Music] it jeez there’s a few people watching and training like four or five sponsors just R his wife and kids you need three four five players in that test room to lead that team and still asking questions like who are the leaders in there set big rocket off one end of the gym to the other he walked you mean fireworks yeah you like him and you hold him and then it’s going all over the place you could see him like what is going I was 16 would you get down in the last few months when you’ve not been actually doing it’s strange we very naive the last 20 minutes I never felt we were going to score you could feel a game just going away from him i’ probably say he’s England’s greatest ever player England’s greatest ever player yeah that’s some statement from you I I I I believe that do you remember the throw in yeah that was that was F obviously I was meant to block him and um I’ve lost him yeah did you think about your post football career a lot when you played football like towards the end yeah towards the end I think probably from vanal on even when I was younger always want to felt I want to stay in the game and and from a coaching point of view but probably started thinking a bit more seriously about it when vanal come into United and used to sit with gigsy and gigs used to analyze the opposition for Lou and sit in there quite a lot with gigsy and while he’s watching the opposition and just getting into it a little bit so yeah always felt then I wanted to do it I always remember when gig I used to speak to gigy around that time not about anything detail wise but he used to he used to prepare an 11v 11 was it like a Thursday 2day take the opposition set them up play the way the opposition were play and so yeah he was good to be fair did you have this idea before you became a coach that tactically this is how I see the game and then when the reality is when you get there with the players it becomes something different or you would you stick to it yeah I I always had the idea and um and and you have to evolve yourself as well you have to be aware of that and be aware of the changes but it was really when I went in tby County I went in full-time managing the January we dead bottom and obviously fighting relegation and what I was doing the rest of that season was adapting to the opposition every game and I’m think I can’t keep can’t keep doing this you need to have some some way of playing to the Players new so we stayed up and then in the off season I sat down I was I was going through a lot of things and how wanted my team to play I always remember me as a player when I was playing in field I used to pull into the half space and think I knew how difficult it was for oppositions to pick me up so then I thought what do it with two players if we have a player normally one side to it so yeah other player in each half Bas and a player standing still wi the balls on the other side and then playing a 2 three5 really teams do a 325 or yeah I was doing a 2 three5 with the keeper high in I went in for obviously spoke to the coaches explain to them what what I wanted from them as well and from the first day preseason that’s what we done in um to be fair the lad and I think it was probably a little bit easier because I had so many players from the academy who never played first team football and sometimes when you’ve got players who a little bit older they’ve got habits and stuff but you’re actually teaching the the young Lads what would you like as a coach when you came home can you switch off I can’t imagine you switch off yeah I’m I’m not bad to be honest I I can switch off and initially when I get home and I’ll turn my phone off and I’ll watch Saturday night takeway or I just completely stay away from football for the rest of that night and then obviously the next day you be but don’t think people realize actually how TI it is for for manest see when klopp said he was leaving Li was needs a rest I was thinking I’ve done this for like two years whatever the years he’s done it for it’s it is tired it’s the mentally Tire isn’t it it’s just constant yeah it’s constant of you know preparing for this game and the minutes finished obviously even before you preparing for the next game and and so on so nonstop did you worry about finishing football did you ever think you know what what am I going to do the next 30 35 years my life because obviously a lot of footballers have that all footballers have that same problem not really I’m I’m not I KN I’d never be doing what you’re doing you doing everything but I didn’t worry I always felt I want to staying football obviously sometimes like like now for instance that’s not always in your hands um but I think at some capacity I’d want to stay in the game how long is it now since January I remember when I left Valencia and it was a public Annihilation I got at the time and you’ve had you didn’t get Anni you got some criticism and attention you’re weighting Rooney so that happens is that first two weeks almost like how were you that first two weeks when you left first few weeks um yeah strange because from nine really when I joined Evon till then it was the first time had like a break like that because obviously have your summer holidays when you’re a player but you’re still and and then when I left AR I think was like a week later I went in a DC yeah when I left DC it was 24 hours when I went in Birmingham yeah so it’s the first like time I’ve had often and then you’re reflecting a lot you you’re thinking of things you could have done differently or you know things you maybe do better or or whatever so and you’re overthinking and then I think I just to be fair you Bea yourself up what you think about that around that time or just no not I’ve never been to one who blames people I wouldn’t look at other people and blame them I think the owners are fantastic I think they will do really well in the future but it’s football and when you go into the job especially now you go in as a manager you you can get sucked we’ve seen it many times and I think if of course you don’t want to but that’s part of the job that that can happen and it’s what’s important is how you bounce back from that and how you play yourself really you’re you’re like probably the ultimate positive person probably that I’ve ever played football with and never even been with what would you ever get would you get down would you get down in the last few months when you’re awake it’s the first time you’ve woke up in your life the last few months where you’ve not been actually it’s it’s strange don’t get down over it because it’s life and now I’ve got the opportunity at the moment to do a lot more with my children seeing me me kids play and taking to train and stuff like that but yeah it’s it is it is very strange especially like on a weekend and what what’s going on I went to the to the Lakes last weekend clean the kids and it was so strange like just football on and it’s like it’s a weird feeling weird or strange in a good way or strange in like I’m not quite sure I want of course you want you want to be there you want to you know that’s the the buzz of football the thrill of football and whether that’s a player or manager that’s what I know that’s what I love love doing and you want to be around that and and obviously as a play you you’re quite secure with that obviously you retire boy as a manager it’s it’s a little bit different it is more insecure not just insecure in terms of job but insecure in terms of how it makes you feel do you think that did you feel I felt insecure when I was in at Valen not insecure cuz I always believe in myself and I believe you know that I will be a top manager really do believe that and it’s the reason I we out to DC again to manage um you know it’s the reason I’ve wear in a tby as manager would you go abroad again or drop down the divisions yeah it it depends obviously what what that is and whatever but yeah of course where I am in my M jail career obviously i’ had a setback um I might have to drop down and that’s not an issue for me at all my career as a player doesn’t mean that I can walk into a top job as manager and I have to put the work in and and to try and get them how would you keep your eye in as a manager when you’re actually not in work how do you sort of keep your sort of you know the the sessions the tactics the thinking the the game understanding yeah it’s watching football and obviously you’re trying to get to as many games as you can and the game evolves quickly and you know and a lot of teams are especially now in the league one Championship now you know you said 10 who these teams going to be playing the football are playing yeah you would have um you’d never believe in and so I think the quality throughout the the pyramid has gone better um so I think it’s just obviously constantly watching and and also it’s it depends obviously when you go back in what level you’re at as well in terms of the messaging you’re giv to the players you said you didn’t want to do what I do but you were on the television for the M side Derby why wouldn’t you do that because to be honest with you it listening to your speak particularly when you were getting into the detail of the sessions or working on Strikers or talking about the game in terms of moves that players make well you were good at it for a start you you speak with authority and I think people at home well and we know they liked it why would you not do that more I know I might if wanted to be a coach but why why would you rule yeah no I’m not saying I wouldn’t yeah do that of course and what I’m saying is me me main priority is to get back into management and that might never happen you don’t know and TV I would do TV I would do it I’ve got a few more coming up I’ve always said what I don’t really want to do is commit too much and then let people down yeah I don’t like yeah doing that all if if I’m doing it I’d want to be all in and where have Commit myself too much and then in two months time for instance I’m saying oh listen yeah then you’d feel bad about it yeah you need three four five players in that test room to lead that team and I’m still asking questions like who are the leaders in there every time United can see the goal I think heads go down too [Applause] [Music] quickly how many balls have you got in that goal by the way I me and Phil must be Defenders me and Phil Defenders that end the kids must come out here all the time yeah do yeah come on it’s um yeah but the issue we have now is they’re always doing something so after school one of them’s a training or you know they got to after school clubs and stuff so thrw he doing so like for instance we tonight he he’s gone to school this morning he won’t get until like after 9: is he trading at United yeah Canon yeah so I was there did you go and watch yeah I was there Tuesday was there yesterday I’m there again tonight you they played City in the sem on Tuesday beat them 21 so wasn’t SC the other did it yeah just I’ve only seen the little clips of him on sort of like social media and stuff he has got your he’s got your sort of yeah’s my physique and he’ll be he’ll be taller than me and he’s a goal scorer he’s in the Box he sniffs chances out and that’s his game so he’s doing okay is he is I mean obviously you can’t remember yourself but is he is he at that sort of level where you think he’s got a chance or is it too early yeah I think it’s too early I think um you never I think he’s showing potential and and good signs um so yeah he’s obviously he he be United now for the next two years and then that’s when you make decisions on his home yeah just wait and see he tough on him are you tough on all the kids not really no I asked them questions so after training or games um I’ll ask them what they think and and ask him questions and just TR and gives him a little bit of guidance really like his goal against City on Tuesday as a forward you you get told to run across the front post and yeah so we kept doing it so I said when you you need to be aware of who’s in the penalty area if you’re on your own you need to make decision whether you go front or back yeah so he was on his own and he pulls to the back post and the ball come he scores other so just little little bit little things like that yeah is it is it is it hard to watch him sometimes and thinking that like you know you sort of suffering with him you’re obviously enjoying it if he’s doing well no I enjoy watching him and and me me tell year old as well he’s he’s at United and both at United yeah so I enjoy watching the games and it there was a great game in the qut fans to beat Liverpool 3-2 he went two n down United and Kai scored to get back into it then he went to 2-2 then a play sent off no other play sent off at 2-0 right and and then K United and then Kai got sent off um tackle straight red so um and then but he won the gam he too been is he aggressive yeah he’s he’s aggressive yeah in a in a good way so yeah he’s um he’s doing well when I when I finish playing football do you think there’s like a thing about 45 50 year old men 40y old men who have kids they think or even like maybe older people think that young people aren’t as tough nowadays as we were but I disagree with that I don’t know what you think on it when you think of sort of like you know your kids now or young players now what do you think about that I think it’s changed I there’s different rules obviously in the game now and it’s definitely not you know what it was 20 years ago and some of the tackle you see and yeah um I don’t think you’re getting that and the game’s played differently and you you go and watch the kids now and you know every time the goalkeeper playing out from the back and they playing through the lines and and stuff and the carrying on to continue to do it so um I think that’s where the game changed and evolved if you like so yeah it’s it’s definitely not as physical as it was but in terms of tackling and stuff like that but I think the kids now you look at them to the bigger the some some of the size some of the kids the huge it’s when you just showed me in your house quickly before we started doing this and you said there’s a boxing ring and obviously you grew up and you obviously were boxing and you said the kids wanted to fight so you just getting there didn’t you is that is that did they fight each other yeah fights should they um they start off messing and it it turns into do you monit you in the are you like there so I can imagine yeah you you obviously stopped them but no I think with gloves on and so I think boxing’s a great sport for discipline as well um so yeah and like that and the kids will go in they’ll put the gloves on and and they’ll spot and and do they go to Boxing Club as well or it just to do that um no just do it here so um I you just want them to get tougher and more resist more they love it they love they love boxing it they love watching it um doing it they their own shots and get in the ring and and Spire me and Phil might have to come me Phil come around start sping we missed you would would been absolute would been better off I think in that boxing but that that mesmerizes me that but I like it you’ve got girls as well haven’t you I I know obviously but the idea of toughening them up we’ve actually got a we’ve actually got a some best friends and their son boxes and they take it and I think I think it’s a really good thing to and obviously never as a youngster I never box or you know it’s I think it’s brilliant I’ve just been to Sheffield yesterday went to Sheffield to the boxing gym there and just watching them train so they went out in the morning for the run then they come in doing the pad work bag work then they have the food have a sleep then the the in the afternoon sping it’s just to see them and the focus yeah in them it’s it’s unbelievable just on to you as a football player what was your best quality as a football player I don’t know I’d probably say mentality I think mentality as a player obviously I could score goals and create goals and I’m whatever I like to think I always worked hard as hard as I could um on the pitch and um but I always felt I had a strong mentality I think that was and and obviously going from Everton to man united you you need that you wouldn’t survive if you didn’t have that just this idea obviously everyone’s searching for a strong mental how do you believe you were born with that or do you believe it was developed as you were sort of if you like coming um sort of I think there’s different elements I think you can obviously develop it and there’s a lot of sports psychologists out there now as well and obviously a lot more than when we were growing up but I I definitely do think the where you’re from the area you grew up in helps massively and obviously where I like my kids um grown up here and completely different where where I grew up so it’s how you have that balance and how would you try and get that what I grew up in into your kids um so it’s I definitely think where where you grew up you look at that the mentality of a team and I think about the current United team and I look at them and it’s not actually criticism this in the sense of I think they’re struggling some of them sort of ment mentally in terms of mentality wise and they’re obviously talented players they’ve done you imagine the thousands of hours that they’ve trained to get to where they are to be United so they’re at the right at the top of the game how do they become more resilient now as a team when you think the criticism obviously they get not just from us on television but from the the fans obviously with the way in which they’re playing the results are bad you know the difficulties how would you how would you grow a mentality when you’ve got a team like that that’s struggling mentally well I think first of all you you need three four five players in that test room to to to do that to to lead that team and that’s the one thing I’d say I think with man united now is I look at the team I’m still like I obviously don’t know I know a few of the players but the players who and you’re still asking questions like who is the leader obviously Bruno is the captain of the team but who are the leaders in there who’s you know and I said this a few weeks ago with Marcus when marus is getting stick and for body language and um whatever I think he’s always been like that I don’t think he’s ever been been a big talker on the pitch I don’t think he he was quiet with when he first came with us yeah so and so I think he’s always like that I think when he’s going through a tough moment or you know you want to work a little bit harder maybe I think that’s where some of the the more senior players in there have got to demand that from him and that’s what that’s the one thing I’d say which I don’t see every time you know United can see the goal I think heads go down too quickly and you almost think there’s no way to get back in the game the Gaff his press conference when I said the want to leave SK did you that day I’m sure the gaers had a way with him before saying him there’s a few people watching before sponsors just R Wife and [Music] Kids when you first came into the Everton team who would be the people that you would sort of like would pull you in line and would have you know Jo examples of when you were mois was really good for me and um he actually he actually Su me actually and when I left when I left the club cuz I come no but I ham him when I left at the time how I Fel how I felt he what did you say do you feel disappointed should do you feel regretful that you said those things about him yeah I spoke to him um a few years after left I called him up and apologized and because the old and you realized why he was doing things and what did you say at the time and just as go felt like he he was singling me out which whilst you were at the club yeah well I was at the club and he he was treating me a little bit different to the other players in what way um just in different way I don’t want to go into it now but just in different ways he was to me one of them was you know he had me running around the local park by myself with the fysio in right and I think he felt he he cuz it was new to him as well having a player who was getting all these headlin and so for him to figure out he was a young manager at the time as well yeah and know it was new to him as well so and but when I look back I think he he was really good for me and cuz he was always on me constantly on me even as a young young lad what about your work ethic or your game or everything yet and I think he was just more to try not to which I never would have anyway try not to let me think I was better than what I was and and stuff like that so and I was hard work um in your early days yeah like he come in and in the end all J I was Sting big me and Tom’s traving set big rocket off one end of the gym to the other had each other and mo walked you mean fireworks yeah Bo he’s walked in he you could see him like what is called I was 16 whatever so what like just you light them and you’d hold them and then going all over the gym was obviously a little bit bigger than this pit probably and go the place he had a right to be fair to give you a clip yeah know he did um but yeah no and and then obviously stsy and Duncan and I was really close to them too and it was weird really because obviously Duncan grew up loving Duncan and I ended up buying a house my first house I bought was on the same road as Duncan and sty where they lived so like Champions League games be was three watching I was 16 17 and but you wouldn’t be I you were Fearless as a young let just remember the word that is the word that describe you you wouldn’t think twice I’d been nervous me about going around to senior players you won’t bother about that at all would you oh no you probably take your shoes off and put your feet on didn’t bother me it was obviously I knew I was with these these two icons of man really when I was growing up and it was a bit surreal I’m sat there with them but well they invite you around just watch watch Champions leag games you’d be all the time yeah go around play cards and yeah yeah it’s unbelievable that when when you look back and think like Duncan St at the time probably 33 34 maybe I was 16 17 so it was but they were great dunan was amazing and when me me n passed away when I when I went back to everon Duncan’s come obviously he knows all my family antonians and he walks in to the funeral and it’s like everyone was so happy obviously to see him and he paid his respects well it’s great though I mean obviously he a mentor to but was was he was he was he hard with if he needed to be would he would he be someone that would give you a a telling off or would he be more coaching your mentoring you Duncan yeah yeah and maybe argue with full on arguments with each other as well and again that’s was when I was on the pitch I wanted to win that much the you know you end up boiling over as well at time so I forget how much how much I I say arguing I arguing sounds like you were fall out with people you never fell out with anybody to be fair but you were constantly challenging people I always remember like with Rio you B you’d be like if Defenders weren’t pushing up the pitch or if you’d be on at each other all the time you and Rio wouldn’t you or you and V or you and Patrice or yeah there times it gets goes too far as well and then um I think when you look back and obviously you’ll know some of the stuff I’ve said to coaches on the taining pitch is like looking back and obviously being on that side now you think you hope you hope a play got remember the worst one remember the one where you you think oh I was out of line there was there was a few I don’t I don’t remember that many know no there was a few there was a few bad on there was one with Renee which was bad and I felt terrible after because of I’ve gone was it a bad decision he gave like a referee decision that was that was the one with you I remember like if there’s a Friday game I’ve gone for him big time and the manager pulled me into his office after the session and and there’s a few people watching and training like four or five sponsors it was R’s wife and kids I no idea and I felt I felt so bad he was a great coach was it yeah I felt so bad but you know something I said I actually thought this on the way here today I thought your your mental the only time I’ve ever seen your mentality I only played with Brian Robson for two years but he was like that in training Roy Keem was like that and you were like that that I mean I I’d win if I got a defys against me i’ but for you Roy Keane Brian Robson it was like you took it this like decisions in the Friday game which were competitive weren’t they they were really competitive you would be like you’d be fuming how you wanted to win them games and some of the tackles yeah horrific which went in he used to stop the game yeah yeah he did stop he walk in go in yeah SKS he put me out for eight weeks I think the day before the game what just and it was the day the Gaff done his press conference when I said wanted to leave oh SC did you that day so I’m sure the gers had a way with him before training I don’t think he would you but you that day put you out for eight weeks yeah so that’s and then obviously then when the manager obviously knew how went fit to play and then he went and done the press conference press conference yeah just it’s something I can’t I don’t if you can describe but it’s something I can’t describe the intensity of every day and being in not not just in the team that you were in but before that as well every day in training was a was a fight and was a battle to survive to get to play to and I think that’s where it’s changed now obviously from a sports science point of view as well there’s a lot more to look at and um to analyze and stuff like that but sometimes actually being there and competing whether you’re going a bit too far from a physical point of view um sometimes that gets overlooked now and and what that brings to you as a player as a teammate is more than you know a number which you got given and say oh you’ve run this much you need to go in and and stuff like that so and the amount of times you know you have sport scientist telling you the the players can’t stay out and to finish him because they’ve done this much this week in there like I heard you said I thought it was really interesting he said that on the television a couple of weeks ago about how you practice you finish and was you used to stay out I used to stay out for I used to I used to stay out with ER steel a lot and grab a goalkeeper and used to do it from like 8 to 12 yards practice finishing um and with with Eric and we do like five balls and rest another five balls so it was it was constant so under a bit of pressure and you get tired and so learn now to finish when you’re fatigued um she used to do that almost every and then I stay out with with the keepers with Steely as well and mess around the goal the goal didn’t you put the gloves on remember remember one time I was um I was trying to show Edwin how to kick the ball out of his hand he must be looking at me thinking so ste’s Crossing out coming out gold gloves on catching it and Sh Ed out to kick it you must be look up think what are you doing the last 20 minutes was so strange I think we showed ourselves as very naive did you worry about finishing football you know what am I going to do the next 3035 years my [Applause] life hi everyone I hope you’re enjoying this episode this is just a quick thank you to Sky our partners for making this show happen it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long long time please subscribe there’s loads more episodes coming up and I hope you’re enjoying it how beautiful is it in here by the [Music] way I want to go to England and I want to go to the Iceland game because I that I don’t think about my career that much at all to be honest I don’t think about my coaching career that much at all I sometimes pick up the sort of the the lessons from it but the Iceland game is the one thing that sometimes I think mainly for Roy and obvious the country as well but for Roy thinking about sort of that last game and and and how he were that was so after the game was so strange remember obviously R come in and basically said he’s gone and yeah and then he so he’s not doing any pressing I remember coming up to you you might remember coming up to you and saying guys he has to do the Press he he did he went out got kill him but and then eventually yeah he done it but yeah that game was yeah that was a it’s a low moment obviously have you ever have you ever been in a game I I’ve never been part of a game like that as a active sort of member of a team or have you have you ever felt like that on a pitch or it was straight the last 20 minutes was so strange cuz I was I was bit deeper in my field and I think we showed ourselves as a young team and be very naive the last 20 minutes how many times have we said keep moving the ball s s crossing the box you’ll pick up second balls you’ll you’ll get your chance you’ll wear them down and and we were committing players forward too quickly taking shots from stupid angles distances and and I’m really panicked and played today the the two Banks of four or five or whatever at the time and I never thought we were going to score in that last 20 minutes and you can feel the game just going away from you the atmosphere was weird in the stadium even wasn’t it it was a strange just feeling in the stadium yeah and the fact that obviously You’ expect it to be iand and so I actually think in that tournament I thought in the the games before that we played really well and some of the best football we played for years and with England I felt and then that game was it was weird it was like a came out of nowhere yeah it was one off and and that’s the weird part you sat in that death room and you’re thinking I’m home tomorrow do you remember the throw yeah a big 30 hours to C after yeah do you want to go there that was that was F obviously I was meant to block him and um I’ve lost him yeah the first part of the game we started well what was your view of what happened in that sort of like next 10 15 minutes when it slipped away from us it went quickly didn’t it yeah um don’t know really we scored the penalty tonight early on and thought we had control and I think they got a little bit of momentum they did get a few throws and pieces and and stuff like that and then caused a couple of problems and then they get the equal and and then go two one up and all of a sudden you’re chasing the game and and I think they were probably the worst team to to go beyond to in the tournament but like Greece went Greece w y 2004 he got in front and it was so difficult to break him down it’s interesting you said I think you said out there that your best tournament was your first one my best tournament was my first one year in 96 and then it never got us good after that do you still do you feel like I I was like I just feel ultimately disappointed that I could never deliver we could never deliver with England and win a trophy or just get to a final and do what the current team are doing just do you feel frustrated or you think that we was W good enough yeah um cuz when you look at the Players we had in that Squad was incredible some of the best players to play the game and to not go further than what we did it’s disappointment so I think if you go back now if or if you put that team in today’s game I think we we go we go a lot further I think we we were quite basic in in how we settle our felt yeah just think about the current team I only talk to about a few players that are currently playing for England and how good you think they are or what you think they need to do to get to the point whereby they can be regarded as the best place I’ll start with Jude Bellingham where are you at Jude Bellingham and what how good a player I played against Jude when I think he was 16 I was at dby was a b he actually manag me really um in the game yeah I was playing deep in Midfield I was controlling games and he come my mark me so I kept dragging him outward and he didn’t like it and what I loved about me going for the tackle he leave on me and bit like I would have done and I remember after the game saying he’s going to go far and obviously i’ never expected what he’s done now and I think what you see with dude you see a player who wanted got mentality and it wants to play every minute of every game and I think a great example to any young player or older player is if you watched the Man City Round game at thead where City had full control of the game and you watched how hard he worked for the0 minutes it was incredible um the the work rate he put into the work he put into that game was was incredible and then I always believe if you put that work and you get rewards and I think his mentality he’s for me he’s a he’s a future England Captain for sure who’s England’s most important current player who’s the one player that they couldn’t lose for me you look at Harry Kane it’s probably Kane or Pigford Pigford I think I think Jordan’s really important to England and probably because gett hasn’t rotated them in friendly games as much as well so we’ve yet to see what the other Keepers behind Jord can do you rate Jordan I I I got I think I got him wrong because I think when I first saw him for England I was worried about him for Everton but the last three four years to be honest yeah I played with him Haven didn’t I and then obviously I was in the England squad when he first got in the squad and I think because the way he is people will judge him because he’s a bit Lely and some of some of the stuff he does in in the world bit like Joe was similar ramsdale similar as well a bit fidgety if you like it and it doesn’t fill you with that confidence but I think because you used to seen him now but you know he performs with that I think it’d be a big concern if he was to get injured and Harry Kane just talk to us about Harry Kane and you know what you obviously played with him I think he’s incredible I think you know the goals he scored um assists now he’s added over the last few years as well for me i’ probably say he’s Eng’s greatest ever player England’s greatest ever player yeah that’s some statement I I I I I believe that I think and again when you’re talking about dude before with W with Harry there’s never issue you see that he’s Ultra professional and never misses a game obviously he’s had a couple of injuries but and that’s a common theme you’ll see with all these players with Belling with with Harry Kane folden obviously sometimes pep leaves them out but I assume well I put money on did Never Miss T never miss a game I want to talk about the left wing obviously r Wings beo saaka Center forwards Harry Kan but the left wing you’ve got Anthony Gordon Jack greish Phil folden maybe Madison could play out there where’ you start with that you’ve got four or five fantastic players which one did you go with and why I don’t know you see I think it depends on the game as well because I want to see Fen most Central I think best position you want see fing off the front B but then you’ve got Bellingham there as well it’s it’s that’s the headache Sal going to have and you know and I suppose he could go with with the two of them as two number 10s in front of deam rice in front and then the three in Midfield be but then you relying on your fullbacks to be the ones to give you the Whip or Oh you mean the two ends up behind harricane you mean yeah yeah but then Fen has to play I agree with that I think he has to play abouty did you see the did you see bits of the in with him so he um speaks well he yeah who plays so Fen definitely plays so it would be him on the left if he was more and I think that’s again it’s a it’s a strength and I think the last two tournaments even just giving players a little rest even if it’s for 15 minutes can make a big difference because we’ve got the the strength and the quality in the squad um I think in previous TS we’ve tended to go with that I think the last Tournament Harry was chasing the goal goal record and I think if that went there he maybe might might be a little bit easier to bring him off when the game’s done or or whatever and keep them a little bit fresher but I would like to see it manage that a little bit better but got some players f for me f has to play sacka as well yeah some players in there I think sacker has to play on the right I think sacka will definitely play on the right I would think Bellingham will definitely play I agree with you Fen has to play I said in the last World Cup that if Phil Fen can’t start foring we’ve got a real problem he’s that he’s that good it yeah he has to play and you look at him and Jude and obviously judee’s getting I know Phil Phil is but judee’s getting so many positive headlines and it’s almost like fen’s going under the radar a little bit from it where I think Fen scor more goals and more assists yeah than M the season which I think Fen has to play it has to where you at with Jack greish when I watch Jack greish I think of someone who’s instinctive beats men at will but then when I watch him for City now he’s become quite predictable out on that left do you agree with that you think he’s had his yeah I think we can’t have got pep can we but but this idea of his sort of like creativity has been stifled a little bit but I think what he does do he draws players to him then he and and creates a bit of space for for other players and he holds on to the ball and and players have a little bite to them and and then all of a sudden these little pockets open up so teams obviously in city is sitting back and so there’s not a lot of space there for them going to the most important position on the pitch right back you’ve got obviously Kyle Walker who you would think is probably definitely going to play there what would you do with Trent Alex Arnold this like sensation of a talent never SE anything like it in terms of play would you move him into Midfield alongside you wouldn’t no because he’s been told we interviewed him a few weeks ago for the overlap and he’s been told by Gareth that I think he’s that’s where his position will be for England if he’s going to play now and he would go in there alongside Dean rice and obviously maybe Bellingham if F and played wide I’ve watched t play there a few times on Midfield and I think he lose a lot of his quality from football I think his his delivery is incredible and if of course he picks passes from the field yeah Etc but I think he’s got to fight out try and fight out I know Kyle’s best right back in the world the yeah but I think Midfield is such an important position who else would you play that I mean obviously let’s pretend that he doesn’t play F and Bellingham in there because he wants a bit more solid I played May before Center Midfield you would yeah 100% I play who else who else we got we’re struggling in there yeah there there’s not many is there I think Dean Rice’s best position is when he plays ahead so you definitely say to Trent stay at right back and fight I think yeah and it’s not that he’s not good in there I think you know you see seen it against EV through the week and you see it in gabes over his passes he’s he’s hitting is incredible and it’s probably only Beck who’s been s when Beck went Central but I think to play in the field the that discipline you need from a defensive point of view and especially when you come up against the the bigger teams I think he you get found a bit you’re going over to for the summer aren’t you yeah how far do you think England can go oh they they can win it do you think they can win it have they got the defensive strength to win it I think they can win it I think we’ve got now is we’ve got I think other countries are starting to fear England a little bit where I think before it was yet a good team but there was never that fear I think with with England now there’s a fear as we spoke about the players England have got a little bit short Midfield um still I’m assume it be McGuire and stoned we play center half both experienced in tournaments now as well so they can win I think it’ll be tough but they can certainly win it you need a bit of look as well of course but there’s no reason why they can’t that’s a pretty good place to finish England wi in the tournament I see you see Berlin a [Music] [Music]