Wayne’s Chat With Van Dijk, McFly Duets & Gary Neville Tribute

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1:06Discover the V-Series lineup at cadillac.com. I think Van Dyke, his issue was when I said he got his new contract and he looked like he's down to it a little bit. So maybe I was a little bit unfair on that comment. My favourite thing about that is all your hand movements. I'm an emotional person and yeah, sometimes the emotion takes over and he had a pop with my mum and dad and that's one which I'll never let go. Judge me, but not my parents. I've achieved one of my lifetime goals. I went to Anfield and I had Robbie Fowler holding a brolly for me.

1:41Well, Wayne, we asked you how your crazy week was going to be. We're midway through the crazy week. You've been to Anfield but most excitingly, from my point of view, you went and saw Busted McFly. How was it? Good game, Tuesday night. Really enjoyed it. Liverpool were good and they weren't all good and then Busted McFly last night went to watch them first I think when I was 16 maybe went to watch Busted and I actually sat with McFly watching Busted McFly open for them and then the concert last night was amazing really good it's great to see how they've both come on over the years so yes I really enjoyed it Okay we woke up this morning didn't we to a message from Wayne and a video from Wayne about his night.

2:27Do you want to tee this up? It was 1.30 in the morning. We get a message. He's like, I've just done a duo with the lads. I've got a video of it. We'll send it on. In comes the video. And it's a brilliant, listen, listen, some will call it a masterpiece in musical ability, right? Yeah, let's just play it. Let's cut to the chase. this is a snippet of this absolute gold. It's all about you It's all about you Danny laughing. Every night I'm laughing Watching the things you do Every night for no reason But I miss kissing you

3:20You wanted to go and try doing something new Though I can't be by your side Do you know the funniest thing about this for me is how serious your face looks when you're delivering it. You look nervous, Wayne. Well, I've got Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher sat next to me and Rick Ashley was stood there literally 10 yards away from me watching. So, yeah, I was quite nervous. but I love music I've been waiting for so long to get this song out and do it I was meant to do it so I actually I wrote the lyrics to it and sent them to Tom Fletcher when Cleen was in the jungle and I said can we use this on your song it's all about you can I change the lyrics a bit I was going to film it with Tom and send a video in instead of me letter from home in the jungle.

4:17I was going to use the song to clean. And unfortunately, or probably fortunately now, we got beat by Norwich 6-1 the night before. So I had to go home with the team, so I didn't do it. So you're telling us that Norwich City, being your team, robbed us of seeing that absolute gold on TV. Yeah, unfortunately so. Yeah, no, I love music. I really like that song. and yeah and then last night after the concert the concert was amazing by the way both Buster and McFly were brilliant and then after it we went back and had a couple of beers and I said to Tom can you get your guitar out and can we do the song so I think he was quite surprised that I was going to do it there's only about 30 people there and so I've done it and sang it to clean yeah head over to YouTube by the way to see the full version my highlight if you're just watching this as a podcast my highlight is when wayne does the verse on his own and then he gets to like the main chorus and he desperately needs the assistance he's like oh i can't do this main this moment and you whack danny on the shoulder as if to say help me out here i can't do this yeah i couldn't i couldn't get that note so um the government knocked to help me out but no do you know what it was a great night um good fun um really enjoyed it we were with danny sat and watched it with Danny's mum as well.

5:40So it was a really good night. And if anyone hasn't been, I'd suddenly suggest you go, it was really good. My favourite thing about that is all your hand movements. It's the hand movements that you do. You've got to get into the song. You've got to get into it. I'm an emotional person. When I'm singing as well, especially. Yeah, sometimes the emotion takes over. Was Killeen proud of you? What did she say? I've sang it to her before. When she sees me sitting down and Tom getting his guitar out, she went, please don't. But yeah, no, it's good fun. Is it right in saying that they said no phones and you were like, no, no, no phones.

6:20I want everyone to see my big moment here. Yeah, no, Danny said, can everyone, no one film me? So I was like, yeah, I'm not bothered. It's a bit of fun. Listen, I'm not a great singer. I know that's why I don't sing, but yeah, it's good fun. and it's good to look back at. I'll get a bit of stick, I'm sure, over the next few days and a few weeks. But yeah, it's a little bit of banter, a bit of fun. And I hope everyone enjoys it. Hopefully, I think they should re-release the song. I think it would just be the Rooney family buying it. No, I'm joking, I'm joking. No, let's go Wayne Rooney for Christmas number one.

7:04Wayne Rooney featuring McFly. I reckon if we start now we've got a good run at Christmas number one do you know what if they would have said to me last night Tom said to me after I would have knew I would have got you on stage and done it on stage I would have got up as well would you I know you would have G unit all over again yeah I would have got up yeah of course I don't take myself too serious to be worried about what people think about it so and then it would have been a great moment yeah it would have wouldn't it but at least we at least we got the video okay well we've had a brief interlude I have moved if you're watching on YouTube it does look as Kay just said like I'm Harry Potter in the cupboard under the stairs but this is the only place in the whole house my internet is apparently good enough um so needs must I'm in the corner of my lounge that needs to be decorated uh Wayne let's carry on with your interesting week how was it at Anfield on Tuesday because you've told us so many times on this show that you didn't like going there as a player do you like going there as a pundit well I like going there last year when PSG beat them on penalties.

8:04But no, listen, the staff there are always really welcoming. And I actually didn't get as much this year as last season. It was a good game. I thought Liverpool were really good. I thought Real Madrid were poor. And yeah, I enjoyed the game and Liverpool deservedly won the game 1-0. Yeah, they did deserve to win that, didn't they, Kay? Yeah, I felt like they played really, really well. I got a message in one of my other group chats and people were like, lads, I think Liverpool are back. And it was really a dominating performance. I was a bit disappointed with Real Madrid at times as well. I feel like people like Vinny Jr.

8:46and stuff, they're not showing the quality that they did a couple of seasons ago. But yeah, no, credit where credit's due. Liverpool got the win. That was Liverpool last season, wasn't it? The performance, the intensity, the crowd were good. and when Liverpool are like that you know they're an incredible team one of if not the best team in the world when they're like that and that's obviously been the questions which I've asked and I think other pundits have asked why haven't we seen that you know over the last few weeks but no I thought they were excellent What do you think of Virgil van Dijk?

9:19Yes yes you've gone there I was going to go there someone's gone there before me Yeah no I thought he was good didn't I and I've had loads of people saying oh when he comes to that I think fair play to him for coming out we didn't know he was coming out I don't think he was meant to be sobberslide maybe I think to come to the table but I think fair play to him he come out and he put his points across and listen Virgil van Dyke over the last four or five years has been one of if not the best centre-back in the world and his performances have dipped over the last few weeks and I've had my opinion on that he has his own which you'd have to respect but yeah when you're the Premier League champions teams are coming for you and when you don't win one game people ask questions so when you don't win four games in a row of course there's questions and there's captain and I think I said it a few weeks ago on here what he should be and he will be doing is getting the players together and I think he said that he got the players together and took them for a meal or something which trying to bring that chemistry back and that's what I was saying, that's what he should be doing as a captain and he said he's done that and it certainly seemed to help the Madrid game and yeah, he's a fantastic player but he hasn't started the season great and you want to see good players playing well and he performed well the other night so for him I'm sure for Liverpool, he hope that continues At what point did you realise it was going to be Virgil doing the interview rather than Subozlaje?

10:55When he was there and I think it's great I have no disrespect to Sobis I'd rather speak to Van Dijk than Sobis to be honest and yeah he spoke really well and gave his points I think the issue I think when you don't play well and you're not winning games as Premier League champions everyone's going to have an opinion and of course when you're not playing well or you're not winning games that opinion they're going to look at why and give the thoughts why and it seems to me that Liverpool can use this in two different ways, they can let it affect them or they can use it to spare them on and you look at Man United over the last few years, the criticism that they've had and myself, I played the game, I was captain of England, captain of Man United, got criticised for all kinds and that's part of being a top player, you have to deal with that, you have to accept it at times I said, listen, if I was unfair with my comments, I'd be the first to hold my hands up.

11:58Same way I did with Man United when I had a rant about them and then they won games and I'd come back on that. If I was unfair, I'd be the first to hold my hands up. Well, yeah, you almost judge a team or those top players by their own standards, don't you? Of course. And Van Dijk will judge himself by them as well. He's sat at home now and he reflects on his performances this season. I'm sure he'd be the first to say they haven't been at the level which he's set over the last few years so of course you see it does hurt as well and you know best players, top players, which Van Dijk is used that to spare them on and I'm sure he'll be looking at that because it's certainly Arnie Schlott come out and spoke about it as well in a different way you do use that as well, you'd look at people's comments and say right I want to as much as they'll say I don't want to prove him wrong or prove this person wrong do you want to do that did you want to do that during your career and when if players or if pundits and media said anything about you did you use it as a feel way yeah you see it of course you do and I've never you know phoned people over I've seen players where they phone people up and um email people um it's very formal you want to put it I've seen a lot of players do that.

13:21I've never got in touch with anyone and people are entitled to their opinions. And you try not to let it affect you. Of course, if it goes too far. If someone said about me that I wasn't playing that well or I had a bad game, I know myself. So I need to be able to back that up if I do speak to someone. And I think Van Dijk, his issue was... And maybe I was a bit unfair on that because I don't know him as a person well when I said he got his new contract and he looked like he's down to it a little bit so maybe I was a little bit unfair on that comment but from a performance point of view I think I was speaking what I felt and what I was seeing and I think I was right on them.

14:02Robbie Fowler was quite interesting, didn't I? What was he said? I think Virgil had him on the ropes there. I've achieved one of my lifetime goals. I went to Anfield and I had Robbie Fowler holding a brolly for me at Anfield. I felt terrible honestly there was no way he kept offering me an umbrella and I said I'm not walking around Anfield at umbrella no chance and Robbie was holding it and I felt bad I said to him I said mate I'm so sorry I feel terrible one of the best players ever to play for a pill stood on the side of the pitch holding an umbrella for me so I felt terrible Just going back to that point about the criticism and stick you got is there anything that you can still remember now that maybe someone said about you or does any particular bits stick in your mind?

14:47No, I think people are entitled to their opinions and there's the stuff which was right, I agree with when I hadn't played well, there's stuff which was said which I felt was unfair but that's part of the game and I can sit here now as a pundit and say that but that is part of the game and the only thing was Jonathan Ross years ago about my mum and dad that was the only thing which was completely unfair when we walked out to sea. And he had a pop of my mum and dad and that's one which I'll never let go because, you know, you can judge me but not my parents. But from a football point of view, no one's really said anything which, you know, has hurt me that much to want to go and pull them up on it.

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16:12Because you were mentioning like Jonathan Ross is the only one that sticks in your mind. Have you ever run into him and discussed that? No, I've never seen him. I've said a few years ago I've never seen him. I'd give him a body shot. But I think I'm a little bit older, a bit more mature now. But he probably wouldn't do that. But no, I've never seen him, never met him. He's seen Colleen at the NTA Awards and he brought her up to Colleen actually and apologised, which is fair enough. And I'm sure if he sees me, I'm sure he'd do the same. But yeah, I think it was just a bit unfair. Me and my mum and dad walking out the sea and he had to go how my parents looked, basically, which, you know, it's not nice.

17:00I'm out there. I put myself out there, but it's not nice for my parents to get judged. But it was a long time ago. Yeah. I guess, yeah, it moves on, doesn't it? Liverpool Man City this Sunday. is set up quite nicely, isn't it, Wayne? Yeah, both teams in good form over the last few games. Haaland, Van Dijk, Salah, coming back into form, I thought Salah was a good day again the night. So I think it's a big game for both clubs. If Liverpool win, it puts them in a really good position going into the international break. If City win, it keeps their momentum going. So I think it's an important game for both clubs, really.

17:37and I think City might just edge him. They had a great performance last night against Dortmund. So it'll be interesting if they can replicate that against Liverpool, which is going to be hard. But people like Haaland and Foden are fiery. He's ridiculous, Haaland. He's incredible. His goals. I think his overall game's got better as well this season. I think his hold will play, his link will play. He's been better this season. But his goals, he's unstoppable. Harry Kane is obviously doing really well by Munich. But I think he's out there as the number one at the minute. I don't know if you noticed this, but I feel like with Haaland, he looks like he's enjoying himself a lot more on the pitch.

18:20He looks happy and even the video of him dressed up as the Joker. He just looks in a really good place. When you're in that place, you have confidence, momentum, scoring goals, getting chances he's unstoppable if Haaland's like that he's unstoppable there's no how do you stop him if you're a manager what do you tell your defenders I think you have to deny the space in behind so I think I think Liverpool will play a bit more of a low block maybe not but I think the best way is to deny the space in behind and stop a lot of his goals are running in behind and 1v1 the goalkeeper so you deny the space and that takes, you know, your midfield players, your wild men, tucking in and being hard to play through and then playing on the counter-attack.

19:13And I think that's the best way to stop City at the minute, really. If Liverpool go and sign high press and Haaland be licking his lips, waiting for balls in behind. OK, moving on to one of the other big stories from the Champions League in midweek. Chelsea dropping points against Carabao. They're the only English side not to win, actually. The big headline, Wayne, has been the fact that Enzo Mreska made seven changes from the win at Tottenham. It's the fifth straight game where he swapped seven players or more. Is there such a thing as making too many changes? And do you think that's the case there?

19:43That's part of the problem with signing so many players. They've got so many good players. You're trying to get them game time. And I'm sure, you know, he will have went into that game thinking the changes he's made, Chelsea still should win the game. But when I spoke about City having momentum, you can't get momentum with that. And your players, you want to play, you want to play games and you want to build relationships. and as a centre-back parent, as forwards, as midfielders, you build that relationship. And when you keep chopping and changing, the players won't be happy, 100%. Players who were getting bits of game time, maybe mightn't expect it, will be happy.

20:17But you want to play, you want to get on the running of winning games and playing consistently. And I think that will come back and bite them. Yeah, so it must just be confusing. It's confusing as a fan when you look at... I mean, I'm not a Chelsea fan, but you look at the team and you're like, wow, it takes you a while to work out the formation. But I understand there's been a lot said, doesn't there, about him having such a big squad. Yeah. Do you know the leaders in that team, and I'm sure most clubs have it now, a leadership group. I think that's one where, as a group, you have to go and question the manager.

20:51And I know people talk about player power, but I don't think this is player power. I think this is... I'd be concerned if the team kept changing. You can change one or two players. normally the players who change are your wide players or a forward your back four in midfield two and goalkeeper should never change if fit and playing well so but it is quite a young squad who are the leaders in that squad to be able to go out and say that sort of stuff who's been there long enough well Rhys James is captain Enzo Fernandes Keseido is probably the most important player so whoever that is you're in the leadership group for a reason regardless of your age and you need if I was in that group I'd be speaking to my teammates saying listen we're not happy with this we need to play consistently and maybe some of them players are in that group aren't playing and they're happy to get game time so it's a tough one but as a Chelsea fan I wouldn't be happy if the team keeps changing the way it is if they listen if they get results and win games all the time then you can't question it but if they're not then there has to be questions asked Would you be knocking on Mareska's door if you were a player there right now Wayne?

22:03And even if I was playing every game if I was the one who was playing every game and the team kept changing around me I wouldn't be happy because as I said before by building momentum building relationships on the pitch he's not given them an opportunity to do that and when the goal does get tough some players can sit out and say oh it's not my fault because he's left them out and hide behind that you need players to you want players on the bench ready and waiting for the chance, the opportunity to come in and take the opportunity, not coming in because he wants to rotate and keep players fresh for the next game, which, you know, there's no guarantee of winning.

22:42So Alex used to rotate the squad to keep them fresh as well, Wayne. How did he tell you that if you or your teammates weren't playing? Because I guess it can also soften the blow if you're told in the right way. Yeah, he never named the team, the manager, till an hour and a half before kick-off so if we played away from home he'd name in the hotel before we leave to go to the stadium and if we played at home you'd go into the stadium and Mick Phelan would come in into the dressing room and say the manager wanted to speak to him and you'd walk down a corridor into his office I remember I used to think he better not be leaving me out and then he would but that's where he was a genius the manager he'd like for an example with Chicharito you know he wouldn't play all the games but then I always remember he told him four games in advance that he was going to play into West Ham at home I think it was he was going to start that game and that game how important that game was and the three points vital in his win the Premier League and Chicharito would be ready to come on in games but knowing that he'd start in that game and that's how he kept all the players happy he'd give them something to look forward to rather than just always waiting and when I'm going to play.

23:57And that's how he kept the whole squad happy. But if you look, if players were fit, he very rarely changed his goalkeeper, his back four, his midfield two. So like some Nani and Antonio Valencia, for instance, would rotate and Jason Park and Giggsie at times when he was bit older. Them players would be the ones who rotated. So he had the spine of his team if fit would play all the time. Do you think it helps when it's a manager that's been that successful? you sort of trust their vision and you go, all right, fair enough. Well, I've got to play. I'm going to be playing at West Ham in four games time.

24:32Whereas when it's somebody like a Maresca, I guess he doesn't have the trophy cabinet that Sir Alex did. So it's harder to have those conversations, isn't it? Yeah, but I think if you look at successful teams, so if you look at, it might have been the best team ever, the Barcelona team would beat us in the Champions League final twice. You could probably name the 11 now. Sure. Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely. Do you know what I mean? If players are fit, you can name the 11. You look at Messi never misses a game. Ronaldo never misses a game. The best teams, you look at Mourinho's Chelsea team, it was Joe Cole and Damien Duff and Arjen Robben who would rotate at times.

25:10Everything else, you knew what the team was. So the best teams, the most successful teams, the invincible team at Arsenal, the most successful teams don't change players. They might change one or two of the flair players and the wide players. but they very rarely change the aspire on the team. And if you're doing that, it's very difficult to win trophies. Just before we go, another Manchester United-related bit of news. I'm sure both of you are pretty happy to see Gary Neville join the Premier League Hall of Fame. Wayne, you know him very well. Firstly, what is he like? Yeah, well, I voted for Gaz.

25:46When you're in the Hall of Fame, you can vote. Oh, OK. So, yeah, I voted for Gaz to go in. I think he's very, very underrated, Gary, as a player. He's annoying at times, but as a player, he's really underrated. His ability, his delivery of the ball, his work rate, his understanding of his position. If you ask any centre-back, he's brilliant at play because he knew he was there alongside them. And he didn't overcomplicate things, I think. that's a big strength to have as well and so yeah I voted for him I think he deserves to go in there's top players still yet to go in Ryan Giggs won 13 Premier League titles yeah and if it's all football he has to be it's mind-boggling isn't it yeah there's certain players yeah Roy Keane I don't think he's in there he's crazy just on Gary though quickly do you think part of the problem is he downplays his own career so much and he lets people have a pop at him as a joke about how bad he was, that people nowadays have some idea in their heads that Gary Neville wasn't all that.

27:01Whereas, I mean, you don't stay in a side like Man United for that many years. Listen, I joke with Gaz all the time. I've just said that he's annoying at times, which he is. I'm sure I am as well. Why is he annoying? Why? Oh, because he's just non-stop. He doesn't sit still. I'm very similar in that aspect. but he's funny, he's hilarious he's hilarious but if we talk about fullbacks without question he's the best right back to ever play in the Premier League, without question there's no one close to him in my opinion and because people don't see a lot of the way he does it's a bit like Jason Park people don't see a lot of the way he does and Gary as a leader as well people don't see how good he was as a leader as a teammate he was brilliant so he definitely deserves to be in there 100 % a bit like Dennis Irwin you go back with players who play with Dennis Irwin you ask them who's the best left back you've ever played with he always gets in there because consistently put in good games 7 out of 10 every week and that's what carried him I imagine you agree, Kers United fan?

28:17Oh yeah, 100%. Like I said, you don't stay in a side that was winning that many trophies by being all right. You have to be a great player to stay in that side. And also, he was first choice for England for so many years. You can't be terrible to be playing at international level for all those years. So, you know, I completely agree with Wayne. I just want to know if he's intentionally hilarious or unintentionally hilarious when he was saying Gary Neville was funny. Yeah, he's not a comedian, but he's so funny. He doesn't know it as well, just some of his actions and some of the things he says.

28:59He's a funny guy, guys. But same with Mike Lowen. Mike Lowen's very similar. People don't really get to see that side of them, but them two are probably two players who you probably mightn't expect to be funny, but they actually are. congratulations also to Eden Hazard thoroughly deserve to be in the Premier League Hall of Fame as well before we go we're recording this on Thursday it's been a bit of a dodgy record because of all my tech issues but it is the Celebrity Traitors finale tonight I'm hoping my internet and everything's working so I can watch that by this evening Wayne have you been watching it in the Rooney household?

29:33No I went away didn't I so I only watched the first few episodes I love the Traitors I think it's a great show and I only watched the first couple of episodes and then Kay's just and also the final tonight Kay's just spoiled it for me because obviously I know one of the people who was in there I was going to watch it on Catch Up but oh Kay you were that guy I've just mentioned one person it's not like everybody how many is the final is it four four no there's about four isn't it is it four no I thought it was five we're all diehards aren't we when we can't even remember who's in the final listen so much has gone on since last Thursday I can't remember yeah that was an age ago yeah it's been an amazing series and I can't wait to watch the final but yeah yeah it's a great show um I love I love the format of it would you be a traitor Wayne yeah if you go in and you want to you want to be killing people don't you I'd be such a bad traitor I'd be awful you want to be you'd have to be a traitor and you'd be killing people off okay traitor or faithful Jonathan Ross I get Jonathan oh yeah going on there you'd love to be a traitor but i think it looks so hard man after a while it looks like when they get you to do some of the some of the killing in plain sight and stuff like that that that sort of stuff's stressful i did see one one of the episodes where they were running up the hill and they had to tom daly run back oh yeah tom daly ran back and got the the flags open the gates whatever that looked tough though yeah all that running I was like I don't envy you there man do you pushing the big I don't know what it was but they're pushing something up the hill yeah the big Trojan horse yeah yeah Dave great song Dave's song Trojan horse okay have you listened to Dave's new album yeah I have it's amazing and I was driving through Stratton while I was while I was while I was listening to it so it was like when he was mentioning road names and stuff like that and there he was like yeah I just really want to say it come out on the 24th of October so Dave best birthday present I had thank you the rest of us bought him gifts and tried to throw him a party but that was the best before Colleen threw a whole big thing in the Cotswolds and that was better anyway that's where we're going to wrap it I'm going to say thanks to Wayne K and all of the tech team for bearing with me because my internet has been a disaster today but we've managed to get to the end of this episode eventually I'm going to come out of my cupboard we'll be back again next week what day will we be back on next week it'll be next Monday won't it are we back on next Monday yeah I can't even remember yep for next Monday watch the Wayne Rooney show on BBC Sport YouTube and iPlayer you can listen on BBC Sounds and don't forget to go and look at the video of Wayne with McFly because it's well worth it

32:34Oh, what a try! Keep up to date with all the insight and analysis with the Rugby Union weekly podcast. The Rugby Union Autumn Internationals. It doesn't stop. Listen with the BBC Sounds app.

32:49Take the leash off your laptop with the processor that gives you long battery life. Work on the go. Jump between back-to-back calls. Stay locked in from brewing morning coffee to burning the midnight oil. Get maximum performance, even when unplugged. Finally, the freedom to move across the room or across the world is here. Snapdragon, that's how.