Quotes About Football

I remember the European Championships in 2004. Wayne Rooney was a special player in that tournament, and I definitely cried when we got knocked out then.

It's special - when you start playing, you are aware of names like Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie; you have seen them playing and know what great players they are. So it's fantastic to have a chance to line up with them. I'm really pleased with how that understanding has started off.

There's been a lot come through at Everton: Wayne Rooney, obviously, and lately, Victor Anichebe has made it, James Vaughan, and the likes of myself.

There's different types of strikers: Harry Kane is a wonderful finisher, Jamie Vardy has great pace and has come onto the scene exceptionally well and is playing consistently, and Wayne Rooney is a player I have admired during all of his career.

I am a massive fan of Wayne Rooney, and it is nice to see him play in any position because he gives a 100 per cent. Not many players can do that and say they do that.

As a kid, I looked up to Gazza, and to Wayne Rooney because he came through at Everton. Zidane has been one of my favourite players and I was always watching videos of him.

Some of the great John Wayne hero things that have ever happened in football happened because people play hurt.

Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are two of the best strikers in the league and the reason I came to the Premier League was to play against people like them.

Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are both outstanding players.

I have been in football a long time, and Wayne Rooney has been in football a long time. He would regard me as someone who is very false if I ever said to him, 'Your place is guaranteed.' He would not expect it, and I would be very upset anyway if anyone asked me to give them a guarantee of a place.

Manchester United isn't about Wayne Rooney. Manchester United is about the team, the club.

OK, Wayne Rooney is always the center of attention, and I always have to answer questions about him. But Wayne is Wayne, and he will always contribute in a game.

Playing with Wayne Rooney was a dream come true. He's a legend and a role model to me.

Wayne Rooney would have been great to play with. He is one of the best strikers in the world and this is also a guy who has scored against me every time I've played him.

It will not be the same Manchester United without Wayne Rooney. He has to stay there until he dies.

Its easy to underestimate how much scrutiny players are under in England. Look at someone like Wayne Rooney - having to deal with it since he was 16.

Thursday night football is here to stay. So we're looking at ways to make it safer. Now they're playing division games, so you limit travel. Now the question is, should you play Sunday night before a Thursday night?

Football is not about suffering. It's about enjoyment. Control the ball, be friendly with it, try to attack, try to score goals. Of course defending is part of it, but you can defend in a lot of ways.

There are many ways to see football and interpret it.

I'm always getting doubled; I just have to find ways to beat it. Can't use that as an excuse. Still got to get to the quarterback someway, somehow.

Fifa has lost the trust of the people. We cannot allow the architects and controllers of world football to get away with dragging the beautiful game through the grime of corruption and bribery.

I'd never thought of going to Japan, but the J-League came to me, and I could see that they wanted me to be part of the project. In the beginning, they said, 'We have two or three teams for you, although we cannot say which ones at the moment, but we want you as a player, as everything.'

I have a lot of respect for Ali Karimi and appreciate his football but we cannot get desired results with big names. It won't work.

We cannot have Derby County going the same way as Macclesfield and Bury. That would be a stain on English football. It simply cannot be allowed to happen.