LONDON — When asked about the latest on Wayne Rooney following Manchester United’s FA Community Shield success on Sunday, manager David Moyes didn’t pull any punches.
Journalists hounded Moyes for answer on Rooney’s injury and whether or not he will be sold.
Moyes fired straight back at them.
“I’m quite enjoying talking about it [Rooney’s departure] because I’m hearing so many of you get it wrong. I know most of you and I think to myself, ‘I think you’re a bit cleverer than that boys.’ But some of you aren’t acting like it.”
And the 50-year-old wasn’t done there.
Plenty of quickfire answers and glaring looks followed, as the man who just won his first trophy as Manchester United manager wasn’t allowed to revel in the glory.
Rooney’s future was the only topic discussed, as Moyes responded to reports that he’d ordered Rooney to train with United’s reserves.
“Wayne has trained and some of you might not like hearing this, but I didn’t fall out with Wayne,” Moyes said. “Some of you wrote untruths, which isn’t true. Wayne trained with the reserves because it was his asking. He couldn’t have contact, he had a shoulder injury. So anybody who wrote anything else was misleading their readers.”
(MORE: David Moyes wins first trophy at Manchester United after Community Shield success)
Then Moyes was asked about Rooney being included in England’s squad for the friendly against Scotland on Wednesday… when he wasn’t fit enough to feature for Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday.
“I’ve got to say I don’t know why you think that’s confusing. Tell me why you think that’s confusing?” Moyes fired back to one reporter.
But then came his dry sense of Celtic humor that the Scot is famous for.
“It’s a big game for Scotland, too,” Moyes joked. “You don’t think I’m going to send England a fit player do you? Eh?”
Classic.
Moyes then finished rounding up the Rooney questions with plenty of snappy answer and was reluctant to go into much detail. But he did confirm that he expects Rooney to feature for England at some point, as the wantaway striker tries to build up his match fitness.
The stance United’s manager took after the Community Shield win was coming from someone high on confidence and willing to battle the media head on. And why not?
He’s been reading so many rumors and answering these questions for months. So after celebrating a marquee moment in his managerial career, Moyes fought back.
And what a spectacle it was.
Hopefully every time he talks about Wayne Rooney between now and the transfer window closing is as entertaining as this. But I doubt it.
