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Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Wayne Rooney, Steve Bruce, Football, Manchester United, Premier League, DC United, MLS
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Wayne Rooney, Steve Bruce, Football, Manchester United, Premier League, DC United, MLS
Wayne Rooney has confessed to targeting Steve Bruce's son Alex early on in his playing career to "make a name" for himself.
Former Everton and Manchester United striker Rooney, 36, was well-known for his aggressive playing style and volatile attitude in his younger years.
In an interview with The Times, Rooney revealed that he clashed with the younger Bruce on numerous occasions and admitted he purposely targeted him because of his father.
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"I remember playing against Alex Bruce when I was younger and purposely wanted to boot him, because of his dad," admitted Rooney.
"It's a way to make a name for yourself. And I did - I booted him, I butted him once.
"We're good friends, me and Alex, but had a lot of run-ins on the pitch... purely because of Steve."
A former United youth player, Bruce would go on to play for the likes of Birmingham City, Ipswich, Leeds United and Hull City.
Earlier this year, he joined the coaching staff at West Brom after his father was appointed manager.
Rooney, meanwhile, would spend the majority of his career at Manchester United, becoming the club's all-time record goalscorer and winning numerous trophies at Old Trafford – including five Premier League titles and the Champions League once.
He has since moved into management and was appointed head coach of one of his other former clubs, DC United, in July.
Rooney has found things difficult since taking charge of the MLS side, losing six of his 11 games at the helm.
But he is adamant he has made the right move in taking a job abroad, rather than waiting for another opportunity in English football following his departure from Derby County.
"I'm rebuilding a club, rebuilding a squad and a big attraction is working with different nationalities, not just of players but staff," added Rooney.
"My ambition one day is to manage at the top and that (a multinational environment) is what you get at top clubs. I looked and thought it's a great chance to experience it.
"It's a chance to take myself out of my comfort zone and develop as a coach. I could have sat at home and waited — managers get sacked, normally, around this time and jobs would have come up, but I think in England we have the best league in the world and a great structure below it and we're a bit stubborn.
"Not enough managers take that risk and challenge themselves by going abroad. Too many just wait to see what comes up in England."
SPORTbible Stories is the brand-new podcast from the SPORT team at LADbible. The first episode features a chat with former Burnley manager Sean Dyche as he opens up on his departure from Turf Moor, what the future holds and the amazing story of the spin wheel for fines while in charge of the Clarets. You can watch the first episode here.