Welbeck Interviews Rio

Danny Welbeck usually spends his time scoring goals, but when the players were given a first look at the new United home kit, we asked Danny to interview his friend and team-mate Rio Ferdinand to see what the defender made of the new jersey

DW: So Rio, are you excited to see the new kit?
RF: I am, yeah. It’s always good to have a look at the new kit before it comes out.

Will you be wearing the collar up or down?
Down. There’s only one person who should be wearing the collar up and that’s Eric Cantona. He’s retired now.

One of your fellow team members has worn it up in today’s photoshoot...
Who’s that? Is it Wazza?

You’ll see the pictures...
Is it Wazza?

That’s a good guess.
Why’s he trying to do a Cantona? There’s only one Cantona! [laughs]

That’s Wazza for you, isn’t it?... How important is the look and the feel of the shirt?
I think the look’s really important. When you feel comfortable in a shirt you can go out and express yourself maybe that little bit better, even if it’s just adding that one per cent to your well-being. This kit fits nicely, it’s comfortable, the texture’s nice... I don’t know too much about the ins and outs of the technology, whether it retains water or the water runs off it, for instance, but I do like the kit. It’s nice.

Going into the United dressing room on a matchday, how good is it to see the kit lined up?
As long as your name’s in there you’re happy. You don’t want to go in there and see everybody else’s shirt and yours is still in the bag! I just think back to when I was a kid and I always dreamed about wearing certain kits. I dreamt of wearing the England kit and the England kit was the first one I ever owned. My uncle bought it for me – the red one. To be honest, though, I’m still like a kid when I see a new kit. You want to feel it, you want to see how the socks fit, the smell, the texture... I don’t think you ever lose that.

On a matchday do you have any routines you follow?
Have you not seen them?

Well, I’m usually too busy doing my own thing.
Mine change over the years. If I’m playing well then I’ll continue to do certain things. If I’ve had a beast then I’ll change a few things. One thing I do is I always splash water on my face in the tunnel.

I’ve seen that, to be fair.
And as soon as I go over the line to go out onto the pitch I jump in the air. And then I run over to the corner flag. The list goes on and on... I have certain foods I eat too.

If you miss something out, does it play on your mind?
I try not to let it. It used to when I was younger but I try not to let it now. I just get through it and carry on. I don’t let it weigh me down.