Wayne Rooney has finally put an end to the debacle that ruled the media this week by agreeing to remain at Manchester United and signing a 5 year contract.
It comes as a shock considering it was only on Wednesday that he declared his fears for the club and the direction it was going but the news has been well received by some fans but note, only some.
In releasing his statement Rooney was deemed to have attacked the institution that is Manchester United as well as the ability of his team mates and the abilities of his manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The affect has been clear for all to see with fans demonstrating outside his house as well as posters displaying his image being defaced with chilling warnings but now he has pulled the u turn what will be the outcome?
Whilst many fans are happy it appears he has seen sense, there are still some that feel he disrespected the club with his actions this week. I am in 2 minds myself, I would be crazy to say I would be happy to see the back of a player of his quality but also the way in which he handled himself this week has definitely knocked some of the sheen off our golden boy. They say football fans are amongst the most fickle in the world and a few good performances will see this episode forgotten, I think he owes us way more than a few. After utterances like his he needs to rebuild the rapport he had, I’m expecting top performances, commitment and goals in abundance!
Following the game against Bursaspor some members of the team had some select words for Rooney, clearly indicating that they weren’t best pleased with what he had to say. I’ve always been under the impression that he is a popular figure in the dressing room so his words will have come as quite a shock but the words in response were clear as day. Rooney will need to rebuild bridges with his team mates too although this may be easier than the task he faces with the fans.
All through the situation, Sir Alex has been nothing but a gentleman in regards to Rooney. Reading Ryan Giggs’ new book I get the impression that Sir Alex has a bit of a soft spot for him so his words will have been cutting as it could have been perceived that he doesn’t have faith in Sir Alex’s ability to steer the United ship. He will have to now buckle down and work hard under Sir Alex, he must now know having had this change of heart after speaking to Sir Alex that he indeed does know best.
But enough with the doom and gloom, there are positives to take from this.
The signing will give us a lift as a team, we haven’t been firing on all cylinders and his resigning will be a boost. The fact he is out of the team for 3 weeks with an ankle injury means he will be allowed time to get back into the loop with his team mates and manager before being thrust into the limelight. Rooney is a player that raises the game of those around him and knowing that he is apparently happy to be here will have the team buzzing.
The whole saga could see the Glazers put their hands into their pockets as Rooney raised a poignant point (even though some feel he wasn’t sincere in making it) about the lack of investment. The situation has brought the issue to the forefront and now puts pressure on the Glazers to make the big signings that Rooney complained have not been made.
As I said it may take time for him to return to his previous position atop the pantheon at the club but only he can do this he has to show us that he wants to be back there and also kill rumours that he has signed to ensure we get a proper fee for him in the summer. Apologies have been made, but now the only talking we want to see is the kind he does with his feet.
In this week long chess game, again, your move Mr. Rooney.
Let’s raise a glass to today’s good news!
You must be joking – Rooney makes those around him better? Are you on crack or something?
If not for the stellar cast of players propping him up year in and year out, Rooney would be recognized for what he really is – a talentless piece of crap who has next to no ball skills or finesse, completely lacks vision and situational awareness (which brings his team mates down) and couldn’t hit the brickwork of the main stadium at Old Trafford from 20 yards if he tried – he’d somehow contrive to shoot the ball over the roof.
All he has is speed and desire, nothing else. Unfortunately being a mongrel who runs tirelessly all over the place gets mistaken for class by a British press and public desperate for home-grown heroes. Rooney is the most over-rated player of his generation – of the last 30 years, for that matter.
I would have loved to see him leave the club, as i see him as a major impediment, not a talisman. In a side so bereft of midfield talent that it has been forced to play three-man midfield’s to compensate, particularly against quality sides, Rooney has been asked to play up front on his own, a position for which is clearly unsuited. He has neither the ability, or the physique, to be able to create things for himself, which means that he essentially goes for great passages of these games a completely isolated and frustrated figure. Yet pairing him up with anyone also causes problems, because he’s a notoriously bad partner for other strikers (all he does is take, and provide little of quality in return) and playing him with another striker exposes United’s fragility in midfield. Thus, as things currently stand at United the team doesn’t need the anti-Cruyff that Rooney represents, they need a Drogba-like striker with the skill, speed, and physcial strength to take on the role of the single striker. Berbatov has two of those qualities, he just lacks out and out speed. As a pairing, I much prefer the Bulgarian teaming up with Hernandez, because the kid has a good footballing brain (another element missing in Rooney) speed to burn, a nice skill set, a lovely attitude, and what seems to be an innate ability to read Berbatov well and take full advantage of all that the Bulgarian has to offer as a partner. Rooney is simply too dense to figure out Berbatov’s subtleties, either when the guy is trying to set him up with a deftly placed ball or when he’s lying wide open waiting for Rooney to return the compliment.
All in all, I consider it a sad day that we didn’t see the back of Rooney. United would have been far better off without him, just as we prospered once we got rid of Van Nistleroy and his raft of goals that won us nothing.
I think you need to put what happened this week aside and give a fair assessment of the guy as I feel you are being totally bias.
I actually said he gives those around him a rise and I stand by it, he does. No ball skills or finesse? There is so much wrong with your comment I won’t get into all of it.
He lacks skill, footballing brain? What are you on? Please don’t confuse the last 6 months with his whole career! If he was a bog standard player or as rubbish as you make out would there be as big an uproar about the whole situation?
Grow up!
U talk fucking shit!! Keep the red flag flying high!!
Timbo, you put yourself at odds with not only British press, but the majority of footballers. It’s almost countless the amount of players and coaches who’ve praised him to the highest such as: Tevez, Ronaldo, Mourinho, Ancellotti, Dominech, Messi (all non-English).
First off, you shouldn’t underate speed and desire as that has got him many goals over the years. Additionally, he must possess more attributes than those, or any other British striker would also be putting in 20+ goals annually. He can also pass and I completely disagree about him being an isolated figure.
I’d only agree of him being overated to the extent of being amongst the top 3 in the world; but one doesn’t need to be considered in the top 3 in order to be extremely valuable to the team.
Ultimately, I agree that he needs to put in a good season to push this issue into the past. I think Wenger put it well (and Rooney alluded to) when he said this type of situation is almost universal for most players, but it was a bigger issue because of his fame. It doesn’t get him off the hook, but he doesn’t deserve damnation either.
Well looks like Rooney and his agent have won this one.
Not unlike when M.U. proclaimed a salary cap, which was soon proven to be unsustainable when R. Keane forced them to pay him above the amount.
It was all about money (always is) regardless of the verbiage from both sides.
It`s also obvious M.U. are not as Fergy. kept repeating in his statement, the worlds largest club, having been unable to compete in the player market with the likes of Real, Barca,Man Citeh, and Chelsea.
Yeah it appears unless there are big changes made at the club, they are on there way to becoming an Aston Villa or Spurs side (no Disrespect to either)and I just don`t see the Glazers with all their present financial problems injecting the kind of dosh it will take for a complete rebuilding of the side.
Hey twenty something years, not a bad run, but all good things have a habit of ending !
I personally don’t think he deserves this new contract..Someone who has foul mouthed this club like he did has to go..This could well be a ploy so as to allow us to get the maximum out of his sale..
If he stays, he will have to do something extraordinary to get back the fans respect..
Rooney is alot of things. Wouldnt say he’s unselfish and doesnt link well with other players. How many goals did he set up for Ronaldo all those years? He put himself behind the club (and Ronaldo) for the benefit of all of us! That said, he is a wanker after this whole mess..