You’re chasing what would be your 11th title with United. Would
the next one feel just as good as the first?
To be honest, it’s probably hard to match the first one, purely
because I grew up as a United fan and I knew how long it had been
since the club had won the title. I remember feeling absolutely
every emotion under the sun on the day we won the league. After
that, they’re all nice, although the last few have been
particularly memorable. I want to savour every trophy now because I
know each one could be the last.
Some of the young lads like Ben Foster, Darron Gibson and Danny
Welbeck won their first trophy at Wembley in the Carling Cup final…
will that experience help those youngsters if they’re called
upon?
Absolutely. We were playing against Tottenham, who are a top team,
and it was a tough game. That will have prepared them for the big
games that are still to come. And the experience of playing at
Wembley will help them handle the pressure that comes with that.
You’re under the spotlight as a youngster and you have to be able
to handle the stuff that comes off the field as much as the
pressure on the pitch.
Your goal at West Ham was your 97th in the Premier League. You
must have one eye on hitting 100 before you hang up your
boots?
Not really. That would be great, and I would like to score a few
more goals, but the days of scoring 15 goals a season for me are
gone. I just try to pitch in with important goals when the team
needs them.
There’ve been one or two suggestions that you might be in for a
Footballer of the Year award this season. How does that sit with
you?
It sits well! That would be nice, but there are a lot of players
who have done well this season. At Liverpool, for example, there
are people like [Steven] Gerrard and [Xabi] Alonso who have been
terrific. And Frank Lampard’s had another good season. We’ve also
got a few players here at United who would be deserving winners of
that award.
The manager’s gone even further – he’s suggested a
knighthood!
[Laughs] I think the manager must have a bet on somewhere and he’s
trying to influence the outcome! Maybe he’s got money on me getting
one before I’m 40 or something!
Most 35-year-olds still have decades of their working lives
ahead of them, but footballers of that age are firmly placed in the
‘veteran’ bracket. Is it frustrating to think some people regard
you as ‘old’?
Not really. I’ve been in the team since I was 17 and I think I
first read about myself as a ‘veteran’ when I was about 28! I’m
used to it now, though it’s hard to understand it sometimes because
I feel young and I’m surrounded by young players. It’s a bit weird
to be the old man in the team, but I just don’t see myself like
that. I certainly don’t feel 35… except the day after a hard game.
Then I definitely feel old!