Manchester United manager David Moyes has revealed that he once tried to talk England striker Wayne Rooney into playing for Scotland.

Former Scotland boss Berti Vogts stated last week that he spoke to a 16-year-old Rooney in an effort to persuade him that his international future lay North of the border.

Moyes has said that he and Vogts were of the belief that one of Rooney's grandparents came from Scotland, which was proved to be incorrect.

"I remember it. In my mind there was a definite possibility," Moyes told The Scotsman

"I was desperate to get him to play for Scotland. Unfortunately Berti and myself couldn't convince him and as it turned out, his roots and where he came from made him very much English. I don't think it was ever in doubt he would play for England."

Rooney has represented England on 86 occasions, scoring 38 goals.

Written by
Steven Toplis