| No point in trying to wind up Wayne Rooney, says David Weir • 'I don't think there's any need to give him any encouragement'• Rangers defender recalls time with Rooney at EvertonThe Rangers captain David Weir does not believe there is any point trying to wind up Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford tomorrow. Sir Alex Ferguson claimed he left Rooney out of Saturday's Premier League draw at Everton because he feared the abuse directed at him by the Goodison Park crowd would have a detrimental effect on his performance.Despite the on-going problems in his private life, Rooney is expected to face Rangers tomorrow when Manchester United open their latest Champions League campaign. As an old team-mate of Rooney from their days at Everton, Weir knows the 24-year-old well, and he feels if the Rangers fans have any intention of trying to make life uncomfortable for Rooney, they would be better served not bothering."I am more interested in Wayne Rooney as a footballer and I don't think there is any need to give him any encouragement," said the 40-year-old Weir. "He is one of the best players in the world."Weir still remembers seeing Rooney breaking into the Everton first-team set-up and what an impact he made. "He was only 16 but he took to it like a duck to water," he said. "He scored some great goals; some famous goals like the one against Arsenal that launched his career. Since then he has gone from strength to strength. Everyone loved him and it is great to see him doing so well, although I am not sure having played with him will give me any kind of advantage tomorrow."The Rangers manager Walter Smith had left Goodison Park before Rooney made his big first-team breakthrough, having been denied the chance to play him because of his age. "We weren't allowed to do it," recalled Smith. "But he was an outstanding young player, the best I have seen in my own career. There is no doubt he has made his mark in football already and he has a tremendous amount of football to play in the future."Smith is still sweating over the fitness of Kirk Broadfoot ahead of tomorrow's game, though Steven Whittaker has been passed fit after sitting out Saturday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League win at Hamilton."Steven has been doing well for us and it's good to have him back for the game," said Smith. "There won't be massive changes in the team. Kirk Broadfoot is a doubt and once we know his fitness situation we will be able to sit down and select the team."Vladimir Weiss and Kyle Lafferty were slight injury concerns over the weekend but, other than Broadfoot, Smith has no other worries. "Everyone else is fit and looking forward to the game," he added.Wayne RooneyManchester UnitedRangersChampions Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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