Wayne Rooney is already hoisting the standards of D.C. United up a notch.
D.C. United became the third club of Rooney’s career this week, when the former England international moved Stateside following a second spell at Everton.
After 13 prolific years at Manchester United, the veteran forward returned to his boyhood club last season and while he finished as the Toffees’ top scorer with 11 goals in all competitions, he was deemed surplus to requirements under new manager Marco Silva.
“I was grateful and delighted to go back there last summer,” Rooney said, via the Guardian. “But I’ve made the decision to come here. I’m sure there’s a lot of questions about why I left Everton and I’m sure the people who want to know can ask Everton and let them answer it.
“I made the decision to come here and I’m delighted to be here – I’m just looking forward to [my] first game. I’m sure there’s more players going to come in. We want to keep trying to build the team. It’s been a tough few years for the club but it’s moving in the right direction.
#NoWayneNoGain pic.twitter.com/HfbLmCsBOq
— D.C. United (@dcunited) June 28, 2018
“We have to improve if we want to be successful again. With the new stadium coming, the training ground – to move forward we’ll need to bring new players in and I’m sure they’re looking at that.”
Rooney does not intend to rest on his laurels in Major League Soccer, having signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Washington-based side.
The quality of D.C. United has not been up to scratch in recent years and 32-year-old has revealed that he’s already been forced to tell off some of his new teammates for giving less than their best in training.
“I’m not here to see out the last few years of my career, I’m here to compete, I’m here to win and that’s the way I’ve always played and will always play,” Rooney said.
“Even on the training pitch yesterday, there were a few of the academy players and I had a go at them for not running as hard as they should have. That’s on my first day.
“I’ve always set high targets. I demand a lot of myself and expect that from teammates as well. I have to adapt to however the club is run, and embrace it. The club has got great history. It’s been tough over the past few years and the club doesn’t need to look back at that history, it needs to create more history.”
