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Page last updated at 14:22 GMT, Friday, 22 October 2010 15:22 UK

Wayne Rooney pledges to regain support of Man Utd fans

Wayne Rooney
Rooney will have to re-establish his rapport with United supporters

Wayne Rooney has admitted he will have to win over Manchester United fans after he abandoned plans to quit the club and instead signed a new deal.

The 24-year-old striker looked set to leave after claiming the club were unable to match his ambition.

But he made a dramatic U-turn on Friday by agreeing a five-year contract.

"It might take time but I'll be giving the same as I always do, 100%, and try and build the relationship back [with supporters]," Rooney told MUTV.

"My message is I care for this club, I want to be here and I want to continue being successful at this club."

It looked as though there was nowhere to go... but the manager made it quite clear the door was still open for me to sign

Wayne Rooney

Rooney's new deal is due to run until 2015, but fans will have to wait to see him back in action with an ankle injury likely to rule him out for three weeks.

But seeing him a United shirt again at all had seemed unlikely after his earlier announcement that he wanted to quit Old Trafford rocked the Premier League club and left manager Sir Alex Ferguson "shocked", disappointed" and "bemused".

The England international, who joined from Everton in 2004 in a £25.6m deal, claimed he not been given the assurances he wanted by the club and had decided to seek a move elsewhere.

But Ferguson said the player had now conceded he made an error.

"I think Wayne's had second thoughts and realised the enormity of Manchester United," the Scot told MUTV. "He realises he has made a mistake and apologised. I admire that."

Rooney added: "It's been difficult for me and the club. I felt I had to get my point across and we've come to an agreement that is the best for me and the club."

The speed of events during the past week caught most people by surprise with Rooney's desire to leave only becoming public knowledge last weekend.

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"Since it became public knowledge we had to move quicker than everybody expected," admitted Rooney.

"Once it all came out, it looked as though there was nowhere to go. But the manager made it quite clear the door was still open for me to sign. The club still wanted me to sign.

"I spoke to my agent and said 'let's go in and sit down and try to resolve it to get the deal done'.

"We went in, spoke with the manager, the Glazers [who own the club] and [chief executive] David Gill. They confirmed this is the right club for me to be at. I was happy to move forward and sign the deal."

Rooney insisted that Ferguson was not the sole reason for his decision to stay, though admitted that the 68-year-old is a powerful influence on his career.

"I am sure it has been difficult for him as well," acknowledged Rooney. "He has to look after the club and was trying to convince me to sign a new deal at the club.

"He is a great manager. I have said many times one of the big reasons I joined this club was to work under him, with his experience, passion and will to win.

"I wanted to be successful working with him. I have managed to do that. I am hoping in the next few years we can do that again."

It's a big day for Manchester United and a reminder to our fans that we are the biggest club in the world

Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson said Rooney's decision to stay showed United are still a major force in football.

"It's a big day for Manchester United and a reminder to our fans that we are the biggest club in the world," he stated.

"We have to put it behind us. The lad has made an apology and we've got important issues to deal with," he added.

"The main one is playing at Stoke on Sunday. We lag behind Chelsea [in the Premier League] and we have to make up ground quickly."



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see also
Rooney signs new Man Utd contract
22 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Rooney deal saga is 'PR disaster'
22 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Protest outside Rooney's mansion
22 Oct 10 |  Manchester
Rooney's year in pictures
22 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Rooney intent on leaving Man Utd
20 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Man Utd urge patience over Rooney
22 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Man City brush aside Rooney talk
20 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Rooney wants to leave - Ferguson
19 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Rooney 'will not sign new deal'
18 Oct 10 |  Man Utd
Rooney denies ankle injury claim
13 Oct 10 |  Man Utd


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