“I said before Euros I enjoy playing in this team, I’m excited by the players and that’s the case still”.
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Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Antonio said: “I’m settling in quite well, it is just nerve-wracking a little bit because I didn’t expect this so early in my Premier League career”.
“I think he (Rooney) has enjoyed the responsibility”.
In two years’ time, he will have 12 months left on his United contract and, while rejecting the suggestion that his decision to step down from England at that time would help earn a new deal and extend his career at Old Trafford, it may well enhance his prospects.
“I’ve had a fantastic global career so far, played a lot of games and enjoyed every minute, but at some point it is going to come to an end”, he said.
For some, Russian Federation 2018 will be a tournament too far for the Manchester United forward. There have been highs and lows but I’m a proud man.
“So, 15 years is a lot of time and I will be 34 by the next tournament and it is time to quit”. “But I can’t think about that until we get there”.
Wayne Rooney has confirmed he will hang up his boots for England after the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation.
“Sam will want to find out why we keep tripping up because the [previous] managers and players haven’t found out why”. It’s a huge honour for me.
“He reiterated I would continue as captain. I’m looking forward to meeting him”. “Now I’ve done that, I’ve got to set myself a new target now”.
On a career in management he added: ‘I’d like to, of course.
Rooney has been a fixture in the Three Lions set-up since 2003 and has played under Sven-Goran Eriksson, Steve McClaren, Fabio Capello, Stuart Pearce and Roy Hodgson. Hence the new ideas and the new look at St. George’s Park, a national training center located in a sleepy town in central England and opened in 2012 at a cost of $160 million.
“When Sam got the job, I made that clear to him and here we are”.
“I don’t say this in the belief that he is no longer good enough for England – he is”. It is just a matter of us doing well in a tournament.
“We have to (move on)”.
“It’s an important one for us”.
“I have had a fantastic global career, played a lot of games and I’ve enjoyed every minute but at some point it has got to come to an end”. We have bad memories from the last game obviously.
He said: “He’s a very good player”.
“He’s started the season well”.
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“I wasn’t sure I could take him seriously but he showed me a piece of paper (confirming the call-up) and after that I started welling up inside”.
