Forwardirektion:

An actual thing in the papers today. Something tangible. An interview with Wayne Rooney in The Times. It's a good interview as well. There's a lot of good quotes in it, so well worth reading in its entirety. I've often complained about the way the papers go overboard about Rooney's behaviour on the pitch and there's an interesting bit in the interview which might help explain that:

Ferguson’s concern when he signed him as an 18-year-old was that the media wanted to turn Rooney into “your next Beckham, your next Gascoigne, your next George Best”, which is to say a figure whose life is played out on the front pages. But, if Rooney has been a disappointment to anyone, it is to the editors of tabloid newspapers, who reluctantly acknowledge that he and Coleen, his childhood sweetheart, are just a happy, normal, young married couple, albeit with a large disposable income.

“As a professional footballer, you try to stay out of trouble,” Rooney said. “And the older you get, the more you try to set a good example rather than a bad example. My family and Coleen’s family both help us keep our feet on the ground. Becoming parents is a big thing for us. It’s something that you go through as you’re growing up and I’m delighted that I’m going to be a dad. We don’t know what we’re having yet, but we’re really looking forward to it.

“Anyone who knows me knows I’m a quiet guy. After training or after a game, I just go home, play on the Xbox, watch TV or whatever, just stay out of trouble. On the pitch I’m a competitor and when you’re playing in the biggest league in the world, especially when I was starting at such a young age, there are a lot of emotions.

“I’ve worked on that. Sometimes I get a booking or do something and it’s all over the papers or on the news or whatever. I see other players doing ten times worse and nothing is mentioned. But I understand it"

The disappointment that he doesn't misbehave off the pitch translates to an obsession with projecting misbehaviour onto him on the pitch.

There's also a good bit where, after saying he's "still gutted" about the Champions League Final, he looks forward to next season:

“For me personally, next season could be the season that transforms me from someone who could be a great player into someone who is a great player,” Rooney said. “That’s what I’m hoping. It’s a massive season for the club and for me personally, with the prize at the end of it being the World Cup. It’s a season which I want to grab with both hands.

“I want to play in the position where I feel I’m best. A lot of people think I’m best as a centre forward. I think I can fill the gap left by Cristiano and Carlos Tévez and I’m sure that, if I can play in my right position, I will do that.

“To play in a Champions League final and to play week in, week out for Manchester United is a privilege and it’s something I’m very lucky to be doing, but I don’t think playing on the wing I can express myself as much as I like to.”

Tevez should have been saying this type of thing instead of moaning about not being treated in the special way he seemed to think was his right. Rooney is played out of position but still gives his all, and looks forward to meeting the challenge of next season.

I also like this bit:

Rooney is asked whether he felt like he had been asked to do Ronaldo’s dirty work, a drone to his former team-mate’s queen bee. “I wouldn’t say dirty work because Cristiano is such a talent, he can score from anywhere, so you try to accommodate him as a team,” he said. “As a team, we accommodated him because we knew he could win matches for us. Now that he has gone, we will have to score more goals between us, but I feel like I’m capable of scoring a lot of goals.”

It reminds me of when Van Nistlerooy left and everyone wondered where the goals would come from, but it turned out that it was a blessing in disguise because instead of the team being set up to provide for one person to score, the whole team took on the responsibility of scoring and we became better for it. The loss of Ronaldo could well prove a similar blessing. And again Rooney's casual acceptance of the challenge is refreshing.
And now onto the usual rubbish... Not sure what to make of this in The Mirror, not seen it anywhere else, but they sound pretty confident:

Luis Antonio Valencia flew in last night to complete his dream £16million move to Manchester United - and end Sir Alex Ferguson's wait for a first signing of the summer.

Ecuadorian ace Valencia cut short a break back in his homeland to make the trip and will have a medical at Old Trafford today while his contract details are sorted out.

Guess we'll see. And just before I hit the "publish" button I check Sky Sports News, who describe the move as "imminent" - a paper getting something right...
Benzema, Villa rubbish from The Daily Star.