Friday, 26 November 2010

Roo remains mentally strong

Wayne Rooney has dismissed suggestions that he has been psychologically bruised from the period of mass uncertainty surrounding his Manchester United future.
The England striker was linked with a sensational move to bitter rivals Manchester City after it emerged in October that he had no intention of signing a contract extension at Old Trafford amid questions marks over the club's ambition.
But, with it apparently certain that he would leave United in the winter transfer window, Rooney performed a dramatic U-turn regarding his future and signed a five-year contract extension at the end of last month.
The 25-year-old made a match-winning return to United's starting line-up on Wednesday as his penalty defeated Rangers in the UEFA Champions League and he has since issued an apology to fans for his transfer saga.
It has been suggested that Rooney's state of mind will have been dented as he works back to full fitness and form, but this is something he refutes, as he said: "Mentally I have been OK.
"Because the football has not been going well and other things have happened, everyone has put it down to not being mentally strong enough. But I am.
"Obviously the most important thing for me at the minute is to play and score goals."
To that end, being sent away to America for a week's conditioning work has helped.
Rather than take five or six games to get back into his stride, Rooney is hoping the process can be completed in a couple.
At the time, it seemed like a strange move. Not that the former Everton star was questioning it.
"I wasn't going to argue with the manager," he laughed. "I needed to get the training in and if that is what they wanted me to do I was happy to do it.
"Going to the States has helped a lot. Normally when I have been injured it has taken me four or five games to feel I was back to full fitness and I would feel it in the last 20 minutes of matches.
"Against Rangers I felt good in the last 20 minutes."
He added: "People are saying how bad I have been playing but I haven't played enough games for my form to be a disaster.
"With everything that has happened, the reaction all goes a bit overboard.
"But I have been through patches before when I haven't played well and come through them. I know 100 per cent I will come through this one."
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