I can’t guarantee that. I see players like that and think that in this day and age, if people can’t respect or appreciate what he’s done for the English game then, as a nation, we’re struggling.
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There comes a point, as John Terry and Arsene Wenger are harshly learning, that the bond between man and club must be broken – and for Wayne Rooney, that time is fast approaching.
It remains to be seen how Mourinho rotates his squad when Manchester United take on Saint-Etienne in the second leg of their Europa League last 32 tie. Southampton beat Liverpool 1-0 both home and away in the semis to book their first major Wembley final since losing to Nottingham Forest in the 1979 League Cup final. I can not do miracles at that level.
Speaking about Rooney, Mourinho said: “Rooney is injured”. There can be little doubt that he will have considered his future from the moment he was dropped for September’s Premier League clash with champions Leicester and he watched on as his team thrived in his absence. “I don’t want to win Europa League or Premier League, I want to win tomorrow”, he said. “I want my players to be focused”. “That is the way I think all the time and during my career”.
Rooney trained as part of a group of 10 players which also included Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford at Carrington on Tuesday. However, the evidence is there for all to see and it has become obvious this is his last season at the club.
Mourinho was asked about why Defender Luke Shaw wasn’t named to the squad and why he continues to be left out.
“Last year I played a lot I had possible to play back to back games”.
“When you don’t have a player you have others, and they work hard”. “I played at that ground two years ago, when I was at Monaco, and their team spirit combined with the passion of the fans creates a powerful atmosphere”.
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Saint-Etienne are still upset over the penalty awarded to Ibrahimovic in the closing minutes of the Manchester leg after he slumped to his knees in the box following a challenge from behind, allowing him to score his first hat-trick for United.
