Wayne Rooney's role at the club
After a lacklustre Euro 2016 where he was employed as a midfielder, the questions surrounding Wayne Rooney started to emerge. While some wondered whether he would contemplate leaving the club, others were speculating about his role at the club.
When the question about that eventually arrived, Mourinho took a while but got to the point eventually. “There are many jobs on the field. The most difficult to find is one to put the ball in the net," he explained.
Speaking about Rooney, he said: "It is normal that a player at his age will change a little bit. One thing that will never change is his natural appetite to put the ball in the net. Maybe he is not a striker, not a No9 anymore."
The 53-year-old also explained that he will not play as a defensive midfielder or a deep-lying midfielder as long as Mourinho is at the club. "But with me he will never be a No6, playing 50m from goal. Yes, his passing is amazing but mine is also amazing without pressure," he said. "Many players have a great pass, but to put the ball in the net is the most difficult. He will be a No9, a No10, a No9.5 but never a No6 or a No8.”
