Rooney: I think I m OK in coaching, but the fans in Birmingham don t give me more opportunities

Hupu, August 17, Rooney accepted an exclusive interview with the BBC.

What does football mean to you?

When I was a kid, my only dream was to play football - whether it was in school, at home or on the streets. The passion of the game, the desire to fight, the excitement, the feeling of adrenaline soaring.

Later, I was lucky enough to be a professional player and had a brilliant and long career. Now, as parents, my kids are involved in football, and my lifestyle has changed. Football will always be with me.

Do you still remember your first team?

Yes, that's the Coplehouse Colts - a team under 9. I joined the team when I was about seven years old.

I scored a lot of goals and used to record the game on the refrigerator at home. My mom will record with me. We will record the game, including the score and whether I scored or not. We do this every season. When I was young, I scored a lot of goals. This is really special.

Is there anyone who has the greatest impact on your career?

I can't say it. My parents have had a far-reaching influence. Now when I take my kids to the football game, I can understand this. My mom can’t drive, and my dad has to work, so I used to have to take three buses with my mom.

My parents both play important roles, and as a child, you may not appreciate it. You take it all for granted—the pressure and effort they put in. I have two brothers, and they have to give for them. Only with children can you realize the sacrifices they have made.

We have four sons, they are all in different places, so Colleen and I are often in different places, too. The kids always want me to be with them, so I have to arrange the competition I go to see. Really, it’s seven days a week, never ending.

You have participated in some important competitions. If there is a game you can revisit, you can change the results – which game would you choose?

If I had to choose one, I would choose the FA Cup final against Arsenal in 2005. We did a great job in that game, we were against a very strong Arsenal team…and then we lost in the penalty shootout. I want to say that game is what I want to change because we may be worthy of winning that game.

There is also a match against Croatia, I did not participate, that was for England, we need to draw or win the game to advance to the European Cup 2008.

That felt so bad-I sat on the bench and watched the players play. Then, I saw Steve McLaren yelling on the sideline. It was raining heavily at that time - I lost the game and failed to participate in the 2008 European Cup... At that moment, I felt ashamed of being a player.

After retiring, have you always wanted to try coaching? Did you want to try media work? What did it feel at that time?

Coaching work is something I always want to do. I see it as a challenge. I have been eager to accept challenges all my life and have the courage to face challenges, but I also understand that there is also the possibility of mistakes. But I don't mind taking this kind of risk and challenge.

Some former players may wait for the perfect opportunity. For example, the time in Derby County... I was playing there, Philip Coku was fired, and I was forced to be a coach.

The start of the coaching career is very difficult, but I think we are doing well.

At Washington United, I think we did a great job, although people didn't describe us that way. They were at the bottom of three straight seasons before we went, and we ended up bringing them close to the playoffs, just one point away.

As for Birmingham, everything was wrong - the timing was wrong, the fans didn't give me a chance at all, we lost the game. I felt right at the time, but now when I look back, I find that it is wrong.

At Plymouth, we did pretty well and then we made the decision. Then I thought, ‘I don’t know why I was pushing myself to this point’.