Stoke star Xherdan Shaqiri on a mission to prove critics wrong ahead of England clash



Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri is on a mission to prove his critics wrong



ON THE face of it Tuesday's game against Switzerland should be a celebration for Wayne Rooney. But beware of the party pooper.

 

His name is Xherdan Shaqiri and he literally is a man on a mission - or two or three.

The winger they call the Alpine Messi back home is still privately smarting at some of the less than complimentary comments that accompanied his record £12million move to Stoke City. 

 

That's why he is looking to a Wembley stage this week to make his mark to the doubters who dubbed him a mercenary for choosing a big pay day with the Potters rather than accepting less money from bigger suitors in Germany.

Mission No1 is to avenge that first match defeat by England at the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and help cement Switzerland's place at next year's finals - as well as rubbishing the critics who called him a flop in Italy.

"I will do my talking on the pitch - unlike some others," he warned.

 

Shaqiri is Switzerland's most decorated player ever and is Stoke's record signing at £12million

Mission No2 - which is just as important - is to show the English and Potteries public that he really is the player to follow in Sir Stanley Matthews legendary footsteps at Stoke.

"I've done some homework about him and watched some tapes and I know this is the second oldest club in the world as well," added Shaqiri, who will play on the right wing - just like Matthews.

"It was a big dream for me to play in the Premier League. All clubs want to play in Europe, whether it's the Champions League, Europa League or the European championships. And that is the target for us and me now.

Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini showed Shaqiri the door just six months into his contract

Mission No3 is to make former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini look a plonker for showing him the door out of Inter Milan little more than six months after joining them from Bayern Munich.

Shaqiri was told he had no future at Inter after making only made 15 league appearances under Mancini following his move there in January.

He said: "There were many things that were no good at Inter so I'm really happy it was only a short time. Now I want to go forward with Stoke. I like a club that is moving forward."