When you're playing for Real Madrid, even when you're playing well, you're under scrutiny.

I shared a dressing room with Alan Shearer. I used to watch the opposition looking at him, and they'd be thinking they need to score more than one because Shearer is going to score, and he scores every game. That psychological advantage is fantastic.

I won't tolerate players not giving everything they've got.

There's not many Premier League clubs as big as Sunderland, with their fanbase and stadium and facilities.

I've got the opportunity to manage a big football club, a seriously big football club, and I wasn't going to turn that down.

If you ask any manager after a defeat, you want to be as far away from it as you can.

I have played international football myself.

I've never taken a bung, and I've never been approached to take one.

It's naive of anyone to think there is no corruption in football because it's everywhere.

If you are a club manager and things are going well, it's a great feeling because you've got the whole city behind you. If you're manager of your country and it's going well - and you've got a whole nation proud of you - I can't describe how that feels.

It's not just about talent. It's about having players with good mentality.

Working abroad made me better.

There are a lot of good managers out of work because there are only so many jobs out there, and if you get it wrong two jobs running, it's hard to get a third one. That's generally the rule.

At international level, I've only ever wanted Wales.

I have a lot of time and respect for Roy Hodgson; he's a very good manager.

That's not always a nice feeling when you've given everything, and it's not enough - it's an empty feeling.

When a special moment happens, I really enjoy it, but I'm over it quite quickly. I remember it, yes, but I want to chase the next one.

I'm never content, and I don't know if that's a curse or a good thing.

I get the Swansea-Cardiff thing: I was a Swansea player; I loved playing against Cardiff. But when I played for Wales and played with Jason Perry or Nathan Blake, I never saw them as blue and white and me as black and white.

I never played in a World Cup. I wasn't good enough.

I never played in a European Championship. I wasn't good enough.

I don't actually think about going down in history.

I have been relegated as a player, and I have suffered the feeling of failure. It is awful, and when you are part of an international outfit that gets so close, and you don't do it, it is not a good feeling. I don't want that again. I want to be part of a team that does something no one else has done.

Robbie James, who was a real good friend of mine, died on the pitch at 40.