AUSTRALIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - New Manchester United manager Moyes talks about van Persie not Rooney

Record ID: 336487

  • Title: AUSTRALIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - New Manchester United manager Moyes talks about van Persie not Rooney
  • Date: 19th July 2013
  • Summary: SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA (JULY 19, 2013) (REUTERS) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER DAVID MOYES (CENTRE), MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER MICHAEL CARRICK (RIGHT) AT NEWS CONFERENCE MOYES AT NEWS CONFERENCE MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER DAVID MOYES (C), MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER MICHAEL CARRICK (R) AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER DAVID MOYES, SPEA
  • Embargoed: 3rd August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Australia
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAC372YFFY6GNQ4XD6RPPX1RXR0
  • Story Text: Manchester United manager David Moyes was in no mood to discuss Wayne Rooney's future at the club on Friday (July 19) but a week's training in Australia has certainly convinced him of the importance of Robin van Persie to his team.
    A comment made by the Scotsman to reporters in Thailand last weekend, to the effect that Rooney was important in case anything happened to the Van Persie, has left the England striker "angered and confused" about his position at Old Trafford.
    Premier League rivals Chelsea this week pounced to make cash bid for the 27-year-old, who left the pre-season tour early to receive treatment on a hamstring injury, but the offer was rebuffed by the English champions.
    At a news conference before Saturday's (July 20) second tour match against an A-League All Star XI in Sydney on Friday, Moyes curtly dismissed an enquiry about Rooney's future by saying the club's position "hasn't changed".
    Moyes does expect to hear more news about the club's bid for Cesc Fabregas over the next "day or so", however, and he took the opportunity to speak of the "massive" importance of the Barcelona midfielder's former Arsenal team mate van Persie.
    "I got to see him this week for the first time, and his control, his touch, his awareness. Just in the small games we've played and bits of the finishing that he's done this week. And I've really been impressed by his professionalism as well. You know he's gone about his work. He's never complained about a thing, he's got on with the work, he's trained hard this week. So, what we're doing is trying to get him in a condition where he is ready to do exactly what he did last year, which was score goals for Manchester United and was a really big influence on the team and the performances. So we're hoping to get more of that again this season," said the manager.
    Michael Carrick concurred with his manager over the significance of Van Persie's prolific goalscoring after joining the club for 24 million pounds ($36.48 million) last season. "For us the players, to see the goals flying in, was great and the impact he made throughout the season was amazing for a first season at the club," the England midfielder said.
    Moyes said Van Persie, who joined the squad in Sydney after missing their defeat in Thailand last weekend, was likely to play only in the second half on Saturday.
    "We've over-trained him this week to try and make sure we build up his fitness. Phil will be involved tomorrow night from the start, yes. Because of the numbers we've not come with a massive amount in the squad, so form that point of view and it'll mean that everyone will play at some time in the game, well, that's the plan for everybody to do that," he said.
    Another forward option for Moyes is England's Danny Welbeck, who the Scot said was also important for the future of the club even if he only managed two goals for United last season.
    "He had a couple of chances the other night but it would have been worse if he wasn't getting any chances," Moyes said. "Hopefully he'll start taking one or two of them and it will start to give him the confidence he needs to go on a run of scoring plenty of goals. I think the, sort of the harder you work, you know, you tend to find your luck comes your way. And if you keep working hard at it we'll continue to practice and trying to improve his finishing and make sure that when he does get chances he feels confident about taking them. I think he's work hasn't, has never been in question, and that's always been told to him. I've just said to him, I'm sure it will change for you, I've got no doubt, if you keep doing the right things," said Moyes.
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