Wilfred Zaha Interview

Signed from Crystal Palace for £15million in the summer, Wilfried Zaha hasn’t yet had much game time at United except for his debut in the Community Shield victory in August.

Here, he talks to Rollin’ Reds about how he’s determined to prove to David Moyes that he’s worthy of a starting place, and how he hopes to become the next United legend…

RR: You haven’t made your league start yet. You must be desperate to get on the pitch…

Yes, but I knew this before I came that I’m not going to be straight into the starting line-up. I need to work and earn my place, because coming from Palace to United is a big step. Just the way we play, the intensity, even in training, so in the games it must be a different class. I know that I’ve got time on my side, so I’m just going to work hard and when I get my chance I’ll take it.

RR: When do you think that chance will come? Does the manager give you any feedback?

All he’s told me is not to get down about not playing and I’ve been training well. He just wants me to get used to the pace and then to give me the chance when he can. There’s no point in me getting down about it.

RR: Are there any of the Premier League defenders who you are worried about facing?

Obviously there are a load of massive players. Manchester City’s defence is like that. But then in our team there is Rio and Nemanja. I’m getting used to training with them. To be honest, I’m not worried about opposition defenders. I’m just working on my game. If I make myself better then I’m sure I’ll go past them.

RR: You recently said that the England Under21 players need to work on their finishing, but what areas of your game do you feel you need to work on?

I think I need to work on definitely my finishing and decision making. Another thing, I think, would be my crossing. I need to train on it, putting my head up, seeing what’s around me and that will all help. I need to have a quick look before I cross. It will help if I have an image in my mind what I’m going to do before I actually get the ball, so if I know there’s someone behind me I can think about touching the ball around him, or doing a one-two with someone to beat that man. Frank Lampard does that a lot. You’ll see that before he gets the ball he will look around about five times to see exactly what’s happening. So as soon as he gets the ball he just knows what to do with it.

RR: We remember watching you play in November 2001, against Manchester United in the League Cup. Palace won 2-1 and knocked us out. It’s fair to say you had a good game. When did you first become aware that United were interested in signing you?

There was a lot of speculation and I never really knew who exactly was going to come forward. I remember telling my agent if he could tell me as soon as he knew if anyone from United had actually come forward. I remember there were lots of people saying that they might want me. Then one day my former manager, Dougie Freedman, spoke to my agent. He said that Sir Alex Ferguson had phoned him basically to get some feedback from him about what kind of player I am and what kind of character I had.

RR: Were you excited?

I was buzzing when I heard that. I was really happy. Basically the news got out and everything progressed from there. I went to meet Sir Alex and Sir Bobby Charlton in London and from there I thought ‘Yeah, that’s the team I want to be at’.

RR: Some fans are already campaigning for you to have the famous United Number 7 shirt. How does that feel?

It’s a big honour that fans want me to have that shirt, but personally I don’t really mind what number I have. As long as I’m in and around the squad and playing then I don’t mind.

RR: You have more than 400,000 followers on Twitter. We’re impressed! Is that part of the power of being a Manchester United player?

I think being a United player helped boost my followers, definitely! The fact that I’ve managed to play for the senior team has helped with that, too. But the fact is that being at United has raised my profile, generally. A lot more people know me now.

RR: What are the biggest differences you’ve noticed since moving from Palace to United?

To be honest, they have great supporters at Palace, always singing through matches. But I think United obviously have supporters worldwide. That’s one thing that really impressed me and it really hit home when we went on our tour going to different countries and the fans are cheering and supporting you all the time.

Another big difference is the facilities at United. After this interview I’m going to have a massage, and that’s just to prevent any injury.

RR: Did the older players at United help you settle when you came here?

Things like finding a house, I managed to do with my agent and my brother. I was a bit nervous coming in at first, what with all of the big names – Rio Ferdinand, Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney. But everyone just made me feel really comfortable. There was no one acting a bit off with me. It was all supportive. The fact that I’m sat right next to Ryan Giggs in the dressing room, too, helps. He puts his arm around my shoulder.

How are you finding Manchester as a city to live in, as opposed to London?

Well, now I’m used to it. In London there’s always people going everywhere. It’s always busy, all of the time. Here it’s rather more chilled out. Where I live, there will literally be two cars that drive down the street all day.

I haven’t really been to the city centre much, to be honest. I’ve only been to the Trafford Centre a few times.

RR: Your first official game was at Wembley, in the Community Shield. How did that feel?

It wasn’t my first time there. The last time I’d played at Wembley was with Crystal Palace, when they went up. But it was amazing to be able to come out there again, especially as a United player just a few months later. It’s an amazing feeling, with so many fans again and it was just crazy.

I came to United to win. It was my first proper game with the club and to come away with a medal was a dream come true really.

RR: United legends, including Sir Bobby Charlton, have tipped you to be a huge hit at United. How much pressure do you feel to live up to their expectations?

The thing I’ve learned is that you just have to believe in yourself, You must not doubt your ability. Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t have bought be if he didn’t think I had any ability.

RR: A lot of people are saying the training under David Moyes is tough. How are you finding it? Are you fitter now than you were at Palace?

I didn’t do much of the preseason work, because I had to go to the England Under21 Championships. When I got back I did quite a bit of running. It was quite hard, to be honest, but it has also helped me because I do think that I am quite a bit fitter now.

The training is physical. I get kicks and things, but the lads tell me I’m lucky Scholsey has retired! He used to rattle everybody.

RR: You were born in the Ivory Coast but moved to the UK when you were four. Do you have any memories of growing up in Africa?

My family still has contacts and I still have aunts and cousins in Africa, but since I moved over here when I was four I hardly remember anything about it. I think of myself as a Londoner than anything else.

RR: You had the choice of playing for the Ivory Coast or England, and you chose England. Was that the right decision?

I don’t have any regrets. I just thought that I have played all my football here, my life is in England. I’ve grown up here so England was right for me.

RR: You have ‘God is good’ at the top of your Twitter page. That’s obviously something that’s important to you…

Yes, that’s right. I believe in God. I think based on my career God has done a lot for me. I think that from where I came from to where I am now he has been good to me.