Bruno Fernandes On Man Utd Pressure, Critics & Captaincy

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1:04Yeah, so I'm going into Manchester United training ground to do the podcast with Bruno Fernandes. I'm looking forward to it, actually. I think it'll be good because Kai and Kelly are not here with me. I'm doing it alone, which, really, it's the first time I've ever sort of interviewed two and three. So it's going to be a bit of a different podcast today? It'll be a little bit different. And obviously being Manchester United's best player for a few years, captain of Manchester United and a player who I really like watching. Well I hope it turns out to be just one ex-captain to the current Manchester United captain having a good chat.

1:46Bruno, just got a big clap. Yeah. Bruno, good to see you mate. This is the first interview I've ever done so I think you're going to have to bear with me a little bit. It might be a bit up and down. I feel it's a privilege that. A bit up and down, but bear with me. How are you? How are you doing? I'm good, I'm good. And you? I'm very good. It's very nice to be here with you. To be honest, I've seen you many times. I played against you. I got the shirt off you, but you don't know it. Because I asked Juan to get it for me. He's not a United one, he's a Derby one. Oh, the Derby one, yeah. For you to be here, it's been tough.

2:21I think it's been tough over the last few years. and how have you handled that? Because obviously as the leader, you're having to deal with a lot of stuff. How have you handled... No, obviously it's not been as I wanted. No, like I've seen the club for so many years. Obviously when you were playing, when Cristiano was here, for me was the times that I was growing up and following the club. And that was probably one of the best clubs in the world and not just club, but team also, because you guys were winning, winning year after year. and when you come to a club like this, you feel that you want to do the same, you want to win.

2:57Even knowing that when I came, I knew the club was not in the best place already, but when you come to United, you always think that I'm going to be closer to win trophies and to achieve what I want to achieve. Obviously, as not being like that, I've achieved some things, but not as many as I wanted and as many as the club wanted. But for me, it was just about playing football. I just enjoy to play and I know that in this club, you have a lot of things surrounding and a lot of people talking about, but this is the price you have to pay to play in a big club. And if you want to be part of a club like this, you need to be aware that it's going to be a lot of things that you have to deal with.

3:35And for me, to be honest, you like when people speak well about you. You don't like it as much when they say bad things about you, but you have to deal with that in the same way. So for me, it's about that. I think you're in the best form you've been in for Manchester United. and it is a joy watching you play. And the best thing I like about it is you take a risk. You're not scared to give the ball away. I think that's a big skill to have. I think obviously, I think the position where I can give more to the team is probably as a 10. Because obviously I don't think in the years I've been here, we didn't have a lot of players that could play as a 10 to create, to take that risk.

4:13To not have that fear of losing the ball or whatever. When I first came, we had Juan and he was amazing, but he was playing more towards the right side than as a 10. But then I never had the chance of playing deeper with someone as a 10. That would be the guy that would create. And that's what made me probably be more the 10 year, because when I was at Sporting, I always rotate between the 10 and the 8. But obviously, when you're at Sporting and in Portugal, the difference between the big clubs and the rest of the league is massive. So most of the teams, you control the games. And obviously the manager, he made me play as a 8 when we had home games against teams where we thought it would be much easier to control the game.

4:52And then when we played the big games and we wanted someone up the pitch to create more and when spaces will be tighter and the game will be more difficult, we would have played me there and probably give someone that would give more control defensively. But I think, yeah, for me, I don't know if it's the best form in my career or whatever, but I'm enjoying playing. And obviously, numbers are coming up. And obviously, as a 10, you want to assist the other ones. I think obviously the best thing in football is scoring a goal. No one can say differently or change that. People can want to say differently because probably they don't score as much, but I think the best feeling in football will always be scoring a goal.

5:30But for the position I play and for the way we want to play and the way we set and with the players I have up front, serving them and giving them the passes is something that I really enjoy. Well, you lead the team, don't you? and what I love about what you're doing is consistently you're in the team, you play, you don't, you very rarely come out of the team. Have you played through big injuries? Yeah, I've played some with obviously I didn't have, let's say, massive injuries, but I think around two years ago or three years ago, I had an injury against Brighton, the semi-final of Carabao Cup or FA Cup, I don't remember exactly which one it was, and I just had my foot properly blowed and I had the plant of my foot all bruised and I couldn't walk.

6:19And still there, I was like, we were going through a period where we could get the Champions League spots. We were in the final of the Carabao Cup or FA Cup, one of them too. And I just said, like, I'm going to play through this. And just because, it's not because I want to show that I'm stronger than the other ones or whatever. Just I enjoy playing football. If there's something that I really can't play, okay. But I feel that pain is something that during the games you can kind of forget it. If you go with the emotion of the game, I don't really think about it. Because if I have the manager that says to me, like, no, stay calm, stay on your side, it's fine, you rest two games, I will be doing that.

6:54But if I have the manager on the other side saying, no, we need you, just make an effort, try it. And I played against Tottenham when my foot all blew up and I had pain everywhere. They put a strapping on me. I hate playing with strappings, I never played with strappings, I hate having things on my feet, I feel it, I don't know, I feel strange. Like a cramp? Yeah, I got into the warm-up, I came out of the warm-up, I took the strap and the guy that has just been in the strap, he was there like for 15 minutes trying to make it the best way possible. I said, I'm sorry but I can't. I just play with this and then whatever has to happen will happen.

7:25Yeah, it's interesting there when you say, well, if the manager says, hey, you don't play, so why would you... I think that was a nightmare because I used to call to the manager and be like, listen, I'm playing. I'm playing, I'm not sitting out. I think of course problems between the doctor, the physios and the manager and stuff, but you still need the game, don't you? I can see how you're talking. I just like, for me, as you said, I had some fights. Obviously when Ruben was here and I had my arm surgery injury, it was my first time, so I was a little bit also scared about what could this be, because then the doctors when they speak to you, they kind of scare you like, oh my god, and I was like, no, I'm fine.

8:04because even at Ville I got injured and half time I wanted to come, like I said I can carry on, that's fine because we didn't have many players on the bench also, it was a time where we were struggling. I think we had players away in AFCON and then some players injured and I said no, no, I played through, it's fine. And then Ruben was like no, no, no, you can't play because then we're going to lose you for more time. And I was like no, let me go and if I can't make it, he said no, no, I'm making the sub. Then I came, I had the scan, they said like you need to be out. Then I wanted to play Leeds away and they said no, no, you can't play.

8:33I said, no, I'm okay for 20 minutes. And then I was like going to the manager, saying one thing, then going to the doctor, saying another thing. I was trying to fix something in the way that the bubble could go around. And I was like, I'm going to get at least 20 minutes in the end of the game. But I couldn't make it. But at least then Burnley, when Fletch was here, he told me it's 60 minutes and I have to take you off. I said, no, if we're not winning, don't take me off. That's brave. And it was like, Bruno, please, I have to take you off. I said, if we know winning, just leave me on the pitch.

9:06And half the time we were, I think, 1-1. 1-1 or losing 1-0, probably. And I said, yeah, we were losing 1-0. And then second half, we scored two quick goals. Sesko scored a double. And Fletch looked at me. It was around 58 minutes. And he looked at me and I was like, yeah, OK. I didn't want to make things difficult for Fletch. Coming in two games and if I get injured again, people would get on him. He would have wanted to use it. You'd get the blame and everything. So I was like, OK, I come out. And as soon as I came out, I said, I had to take you off, sorry. I wanted to keep you on the beach, but I had to take you off.

9:40Growing up as a child, and then if you think, if you were the fast forward and said to yourself, 20 years time, 15 years time, I'm going to be captain of Manchester United. Would you ever have dreamt that you would have that opportunity? No, I said that this many times. I've dreamed about playing for the club. I wanted to... Obviously, dreaming you, you're allowed to dream everything you want. But I never thought... Obviously, as I said before, I saw you guys playing so many times and I was following the club for so long. But I never thought about being captain of the club. For me, just coming to the club was already a dream come true, a privilege, you know, playing for the club and playing for so long.

10:21Because, you know, staying at this club for so long is not for everyone. And you guys have done it for so many years and winning so many things. and that was the thing in my head, coming to this club, staying there, winning trophies, being one of the players that will be there for the good moments and trying to build the club into glory again. But it's a thing that you don't even dream about. It's a privilege and the honour for me to be the captain of the club and when the chance came, obviously, it was not in the best way because obviously Harry was at the club and he's not leaving the club and they have to choose another one.

10:57So it was kind of a tricky one for me, but I had a conversation with Arjen, so that made me feel much better on the way, like, OK, I need to deal with this. I know that I have his support in terms of like, OK, it was my time. They decided that it's not anymore and then we go forward with this. And I think that helped me a lot from his side, having him on my side. Like he was the first one to talk with me when he knew that I would be the captain. so that was a very good sign for me that he accepted. Obviously, you never accepted too well, but in some way he accepted that I would be the captain and he was there to help me and he did, to be honest.

11:37But as I said before, I never thought or dreamed about being the captain of the club. I just wanted to play for it. Michael Carrick, Steve Quinn, how has it been? Because I was in Barbados with him the week before. Yeah, I know. We were on the beach, we were having a beer, we were chilling and then all of a sudden he's manager of Manchester United. I actually was thinking about it and I was thinking, do you know what, I think this is a really good fit. This works, it feels right. And then obviously he came to do well. He came in and I think I knew him from the time of Ole, obviously not as a manager, that he had three games as a manager and you could think already that there was something more than an assistant manager or someone that could be more than just an assistant manager.

12:23And I think that three games showed that because the way he prepared the game, the way he spoke to us in the games against, I think it was Arsenal, Chelsea and Villarreal. You could kind of understand that he was prepared for the moment. He was like, I think he was with Jose before and then with Ole, if I'm not a mistake. And you could see that there was already someone that was ready for the next step and not just to be behind someone else. And then when he came in, I think, He came with the energy that the team needed, with a lot of positive energy, good things to say, very nice words in terms of when he's needed something stronger, when he's needed something softer, when he's needed something to bring the team together.

13:09And I think that was very important not just for the team but for the full environment to feel like, OK, we've changed. From here now we just have to try to go up and not thinking that what could have been, what we should have done, what we could have been differently. I think that was the main thing that change was everyone in the team, but also staff and everyone was very quick to say, OK, it didn't work, let's turn off, turn on the other one and let's push to achieve what we want to achieve in this season. And until now it's been working very well, we got very good results. Some results where we could have done better but that's part of playing in the Premier League and the league is so tough and so tight that at this moment we are in the best position we could ever be.

13:57When Michael just came in we never thought that in this time of moment we would be third and depending on yourself to secure the top four. I remember a scene last summer and there was speculation that you might leave the club, you might stay. I remember looking at it, I was trying to put myself in your position, I was thinking, what would I do here? Because the club was in a sticky moment and I was thinking, what would I do? And I've been in that exact position. I thought, I want to leave a legacy. I want to be successful. And for you now, if you go on to captain Manchester United back to the Premier League title or to the Champions League, do you know what that will do for you?

14:37No, I know. Do you know what that will leave the legacy you will leave at this football club? I'm very aware of that. and that's obviously that season when I stayed. It was a little bit because of that. I don't want to leave the club at the point where we were struggling and we needed something to get back in positions we wanted to be. Obviously, I never hide from that. I want to win the Premier League, I want to win the Champions League. I never hide from that and I will never hide. I might do it, I might not. That's part of football. But I stayed at the club because I think I still have something that I can give back to the club, not just because I'm going to be the player from Man United or the captain from Man United, just because I think I'm still very able to help the club to get back to that position and to get what I wanted in the first place when I came to the club.

15:23Obviously, it's difficult when you hear a lot of things coming, obviously the Saudi situation with the money, there was a lot and all these things. But I've always said, and the good thing I have in my family is that my wife is pretty down to earth like me. and we're very aware that we don't want to be the richest person in the world, we just want to be the ones that have achieved the dreams that they had and live a good life with their kids and trying to be as more successful as possible. And I was very good at the time, in my head was about to stay, but the words of my wife was like, have you achieved your dreams?

16:03Have you achieved everything you wanted? and that small thing that she said made me understand that she's on the same page as me. What I was thinking is not wrong. Let's try it, let's keep trying it and let's see where this takes me. You always have to listen to your wife. Yeah. Whatever they say. Yeah, I know. What would be your best moment you've had at the club? Probably one of the ones that I like the most is the assist to Kobe in the FA Cup final. because I think from the moment I start running from the halfway line to the edge of the box, I think it was probably the play that I've scanned the most the game because obviously you know when you get into that moment and playing against City, you know that normally they will have the ball for a long period and you're going to have to suffer and sacrifice.

16:47And then there's going to be moments where you need to be aware, clever, knowing where all the players are. And then as soon I know that Gartner's coming in and that ball could come to me, My first thought was like, if this comes perfect, I'm going to shoot because the position was perfect. But as soon as the ball starts travelling, I see John Stone stepping out. And I knew Kyle was just behind Kobe. So if I make the pass in the right moment with the right pace, timing, Kobe's going to be in a much better position than myself to finish the play. So I think that for me, that's the moment for me as a player for what I can give to the team and what I like to see in players that play in that position.

17:25That's the moment I like. You make it look so easy, so not many players, even at the top level, will be able to see that and execute it. So there's certain players who, when they get the ball, the teammates will run. They'll make fun of the ball. So, for instance, when we played, when Ryan Gink got the ball, I'd run, because I knew he'd time fines and he might give the ball away. When you get it, I'm looking at players, I'm thinking, look, everyone's gone, everyone's running. So I'd love to play with you because I've played with different players and I've played in different positions. so I would love to have the opportunity to play alongside you.

17:59Do you think it would work? No, it would. First of all, because I think everyone knows about your artwork of the ball and everything, and probably people will think about that too offensive and everything, but I think when you have players that play in the 10th position that know how to defend as an 8 or a 6, and they run as much as they can to help the team and defend, I think in that terms we won't have problems of doing that dirty side of the game, let's say as a 10 that probably in your time was not many 10s that would do it. And that's something that I think was very impressive from your side.

18:34In a generation where the number 10 was just like the fancy player that would get the ball and everything. And apart of you scoring goals, giving assists, you would run everywhere and fight anyone on the pitch being strong. And that's something that I've always had in my game. Probably I'm not as strong as you are, but I'm not afraid of going to tackles and make myself available to that. And then on the ball, I think I really like the runs to make runs in behind. Obviously, you need players that can play that pass. And I think with you by my side or one ahead, one behind, whatever it was, we would probably both get in much more times on a 1v1 with the keeper.

19:15And a part of that, I think for me, would have been a privilege playing alongside you because I've watched you for many, many years and were a player that I had in my head always to follow up in the way you played, not just, as I said before, because the qualities, everyone can see it, but the way you felt the game, the way you were grafting up and the way you wanted to win games and that you would never allow anyone to get ahead of you. That's something that I've always liked. I like players with that spark, with that firing side, because I think that's the players that make a difference in many big teams.

19:52So, we're coming towards the end of the season, playing here, coming up. I genuinely think this year, I think you should win it. I think what you're bringing to the team, when the team's going through a bad period, you're there consistently, you're leading, and I think you're the perfect example to your teammates. I think you'll win it, I think you should win it, I think you will win it and if you don't, it'd be hard to say. It's a huge privilege to be in the conversation, obviously. As a player you can say as many times as you want that you want to win trophies collectively and that's true, but obviously these individual accolades are always nice for you, for your personal side, for you to know that you don't need the accolades to know that you did a good season or not, But obviously, when you know there is players voting for you, that has a little bit of a different impact.

20:49Because it's the players that you've been playing against and if they recognise you as one of the best in the league or the best in the league for that season, it's a huge privilege. Obviously, I'm pretty aware that players that win the league get closer to get that trophy and to win that. because we always put together in the same place winning the league by a player who is always going to have a certain weight. But I think I've done very well this season. I think probably getting into this conversation is already a privilege. I'm not really focused on that. Obviously, I would be more than happy to win it.

21:29I'm not going to lie on that. If I do end up winning, it's something unbelievable because I've never done it before, so it's a privilege and an honour. But I think there are other players that have done a very good season, different ways, different playing styles and stuff like that. And let's see who gets it at the end of the season. So if you win it, if you do win it, make sure your teammates go to the event and celebrate. So I won it. I don't think any of my teammates won it. But I've been so... My teammates have won it. I've gone and we've all gone to celebrate and then when I went I was like where's all these TV they've gone in the airport make sure they go and celebrate I'll make sure they don't go in the family if you do it so hopefully you do are you enjoying your game because one of the things I look back at is when you're in the thick of it you think of like we need to do this we need to time be better and then I look back and think I should have enjoyed playing more rather than thinking, constantly thinking, right, you'll be doing the same which you do when you're thinking, I don't need to help me team mate here.

22:41And then make sure you enjoy it as well because I can see you, you're always wanting to do that here. It's a little bit... And then when you stop playing, you're thinking, I should have enjoyed that a little bit more. I think I'm getting better at that now because obviously I think as you get older, you understand better the things, you understand better that every player is from different generations and they see things in different ways, they live it in different ways. I'm probably a little bit too old school yet, because obviously I've raised in football in Italy, so they are very tough on the young players and everything like that.

23:14But I'm learning and I'm understanding that every player has a different way of dealing with things, so I probably have to enjoy more my football, you're very right at it. I put my head into many things, but I'm getting better at that. World Cup coming up, Portugal have given me two worst nights of football. I know that. I broke my foot and then 2006 got the red card. And I actually mean this because of Cristiano in there, I would love to see him win the World Cup. And yourself, so what I've just said before, go and enjoy it, have fun and I hope you stay well. Thank you very much. I will try my best to make my country proud, obviously, as you said.

23:57that wrapping up all this last World Cup with Cristiano, winning it will be something amazing and I really hope that we can make that, not just for Portugal but for everything that Cristiano gave to football in Portugal and to the world, I think will be a very nice way to end this season. I think 2004 is my first memory of Portugal playing because I was 10 years old. I shouldn't say this but when England lost in penalties I was in my grandma's house, I run with my cousins, we run outside in the streets. I was in the hospital, in Portuguese hospital, in meet England kids still, watching it on a little TV.

24:34And then obviously the 2006, I remember, because obviously everyone remembers Cristiano, and rains a little bit of fire there, and ends up in... Jamie Carragher missing the penalty. I had to say this, sorry Jamie. I had to get a little bit of you. You get on me all the time, I can get on you that penalty. when I miss a penalty don't say anything about it well Bruno thanks so much for doing the podcast very appreciate it and good luck thank you very much it was a pleasure

25:11five live sports BBC Women's Football Weekly the latest news insights and analysis from across the women's game Dame Serena Vigman welcome to the are we including Dame in your title now? You know how much an honor that is. And it's remarkable.

25:54has finally met its match, public backlash. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.