Why I stayed at 'struggling' Man Utd and didn't think we'd be third now - Fernandes

Why I stayed at 'struggling' Man Utd and didn't think we'd be third now - Fernandes

Wayne Rooney never played alongside Bruno Fernandes.

They faced each other once - and both remember the FA Cup tie between Derby County and Manchester United at Pride Park in March 2020. The visitors won 3-0, with Rooney denied a memorable goal against his former club when Sergio Romero saved a free-kick its taker was sure was going in.

Rooney and Fernandes are two men with so much in common.

Manchester United captains, talismen and inspirations; both eager that the club continues to climb out of the doldrums and reconnect with a glorious past Rooney was part of before Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

But there is more that connects them. One evening in June 2004 for starters.

Rooney - the teenage golden boy of the England team. Fernandes - a nine-year-old football obsessive from northern Portugal watching the Euro 2004 quarter-final being played 170 miles away in Lisbon.

England were leading and in control until Rooney broke his foot. Portugal won on penalties. One day, one moment, elation and devastation revisited when the pair met at United's Carrington training ground - a place both know so well.

"That was my first memory of the Portugal team playing," said Fernandes.

I shouldn't say this, but when England lost on penalties, I was in my grandma's house with my cousins. We ran outside in the streets screaming.

I was in hospital," Rooney replied. "In a Portuguese hospital, still in my England kit, watching on a little TV.

The mutual respect between Rooney and Fernandes is clear during a 40-minute chat for The Wayne Rooney Show.

The two men have made a combined 881 appearances for United.

Rooney is the club's record goalscorer with 253. Fernandes, by common consent, has had the greatest impact of any of the club's signings since Ferguson retired. If he claims three assists in the final five games of the season, he will break the record of 20 for the most in any single Premier League campaign.

Rooney won the players' and writers' player of the year awards in 2010. He thinks Fernandes should win them now, and is the perfect example for his team-mates.

"It's a huge privilege to be in the conversation," said the Red Devils captain, who is likely to face strong opposition from Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Gabriel.

"You can say as many times as you want that you want to win trophies collectively. That is true. But these individual accolades are always nice on the personal side.

It is players voting for you. That has a different impact because you have been playing against them. If they recognise you as one of the best in the league, it's a huge privilege.

It is a sobering thought for everyone attached to United that Fernandes might not have been at Old Trafford this season.

At the end of last season, club officials told the 31-year-old they would not stand in his way if he wanted to accept a huge offer from Saudi Pro-League club Al Hilal. Fernandes has spoken previously about the 'hurt' he felt.

After speaking to his family, he opted to stay, just as Rooney did after saying he wanted to leave in 2010, when all of Europe's leading clubs coveted him.

"I stayed because I thought I still had something that I can give back to the club," said Fernandes.

"Obviously the Saudi situation, with the money... there was a lot. The good thing I have in my family is that my wife is pretty down to earth like me.

"We're very aware that we don't want to be the richest person in the world. We just want to be the ones that have achieved the dreams they had and live a good life with their kids and trying to be as successful as possible.

"The words of my wife were like, 'have you achieved your dreams? Have you achieved everything you wanted?'

And that small thing she said made me understand that she's on the same page as me. Let's keep trying and see where this takes me.

There was also a sense of trying to lift the club from their 15th-place finish last season - the worst since their 1973-74 relegation campaign.

"I didn't want to leave the club at the point where we were struggling," he said.

With a year left on his contract, there is uncertainty over Fernandes' position at the club. Given his performances this season, it would be remarkable if United do not come up with a huge new deal, even if co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is trying to drive down wage costs.

What is certain is Fernandes' determination to lift the biggest trophies remains undimmed.

Rooney did that - as part of five title-winning squads and the Champions League in 2008. Fernandes may have scored 106 goals in 322 games for United since joining in 2020 but has only won one FA Cup and one League Cup.

I want to win the Premier League," he said. "I want to win the Champions League. I never hide from that.

United need a maximum of six points from their last five games of the season to return to the Champions League. If they beat Brentford in Monday, the demand will reduce to two from four.

Rooney was on holiday with Michael Carrick when Ruben Amorim was sacked in January. Now one of his best friends is Fernandes' boss.

So far, the union has produced impressive dividends.

Fernandes worked with Carrick during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time as manager - then when the former midfielder became interim boss for the first time.

He had three games as a manager," said Fernandes. "The way he prepared for the games and the way he spoke to us made you think he was more than an assistant manager. He was ready for the next step.

In the wake of Amorim's exit, United's hierarchy plumped for Carrick rather than Solskjaer to take over until the end of the season.

"When he came in, he had the positive energy the team needed," said Fernandes. "Not just nice words but when he needed something stronger, or something softer, something to bring the team together. That was not just important for the team but the whole environment.

"We weren't thinking about what could have been or what we should have done. Very quickly we changed to, 'it didn't work out, let's turn on to the other one and push to achieve what we want this season'.

We have got very good results. This league is so tough and at this moment, we are in the best position we could be. When Michael came in, we never thought at this moment, we would be third.

On to that night at Pride Park. Rooney didn't know it, but Fernandes got his shirt - thanks to an assist from Juan Mata.

"I asked Juan to get it for me," he said.

I tried to bring it but it is already in Portugal to go in my museum. It's a Derby one, not a United one, but still.

They both remember the free-kick.

"I was really frustrated because it was a very difficult game for us and we got the free-kick at the end," said Rooney.

I hit it really well and Romero's pulled off a worldie save.

It is an easy conversation between two men who understand the demands they operate in, the scrutiny they face and the abilities that set them so far apart from even many fellow professionals.

The way they dissect intricate moves and passing sequences; how Fernandes explains his thought process that led to Kobbie Mainoo's memorable second goal in the 2024 FA Cup final. Dealing with inheriting the captaincy from a respected figure in the squad who was staying at the club - Fernandes at Manchester United, Rooney at DC United. Taking responsibility for speaking to the media in bad times as well as good. Whether they could have played together. 'We could,' said Fernandes.

Before it all wraps up, there is just time for a couple of questions about internationals, which is how the pair end up talking about Euro 2004.

They can't avoid Rooney's red card in 2006 either. "Two of my worst nights of football," he said.

Fernandes moves on to this summer's World Cup, which inevitably prompts a mention of a notable former team-mate of both men.

"Wrapping up all this last World Cup with Cristiano winning it would be something amazing," said Fernandes.

I really hope we can make it happen, not just for Portugal, but for everything Cristiano gave to football and the world.

Rooney's allegiances are clearly elsewhere. But if England don't prevail in the United States, he says he would like Portugal to.

"I would love to see you and Cristiano win the World Cup," he said.

Go and enjoy it. Have fun. And I hope you do well.

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Source: BBC
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