• Premier League

Rooney: First success will breed more for Utd youngsters

ESPN staff
March 12, 2013
Wayne Rooney believes winning the title will motivate Manchester United's youngsters © Getty Images
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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes winning a major trophy this season will be a springboard for further silverware for the Red Devils.

Rooney is aware that one trophy can lead to several more as his first honour at Old Trafford, the 2006 League Cup, was followed by three league titles in as many years as well as the European Cup in 2008.

Robin van Persie, Shinji Kagawa, Nick Powell and Alexander Buttner, who were signed last summer, and David de Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones, who were brought in the previous year, have not won anything for United yet.

Neither has Tom Cleverley, a product of their youth system, while Danny Welbeck's only medal came from the 2009 League Cup final.

United have a 12-point lead in the Premier League and Rooney believes that finishing as champions could help them for years to come.

"We have a brilliant squad with a great mix of experienced players and young players who all have great ability and a real desire to win," Rooney told Inside United.

"Being successful this season is really important because it would give us a great platform to kick on in the next few years. Once the young players get their first taste of silverware with the club they'll realise how good it feels and they'll want to keep doing it again and again. Hopefully they'll get to taste it this season."

Rooney believes the key to keeping United's advantage in the Premier League is not to get complacent and to focus on winning every game.

"You just want to either maintain it or try and extend it by keeping on winning. You never look at the situation and say 'we're this many points clear so we can afford to lose a game and draw one or two.' It's about winning and making sure you don't drop any points.

"That's always been the mentality here and our approach is always to win."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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