I don’t want to go into the new season with a row (although I probably will) but some things just can’t be left unsaid. It’s this whole Wayne Rooney thing – or more to the point, United’s reaction to it – it’s driving me up the wall now and if I bite my tongue any longer, I’ll be talking with a lisp by August 18th.
Firstly, United go on about their 20 titles and fair play to them, no-one else has achieved it so you have to have a grudging respect for records like that. My issue is they weren’t all won in the last five or ten years though, although tellingly, thirteen of them came in the last 20 years under one manager. So the point is that some of this is historical stuff we’re talking about (a large part of it undoubtedly down to one man) and that particular era is over.
Does this stop them shoving their 20 titles down our throats though? No. Has their arrogant expectation to win everything abated? Not a chance. Ok, but surely now they’ll at least accept that not every player in the world wants to play for Manchester United? Erm, guess again, because despite Fergie making way for David Moyes and Cesc Fabregas less than tempted by the younger Scot, they still seem unable to accept that any player in the history of football would actually want to go elsewhere to play.
That’s the crux of it with Rooney though isn’t it? If you strip away everything you read about what he earns, what he wants to earn, what games his agent might be playing to secure that sort of money etc, etc, the bottom line is that Wayne Rooney just wants to play football – and there’s no telling how often that might happen at United for him anymore. David Moyes set his stall out almost as soon as he walked through the Old Trafford door, telling the world’s press Rooney would play second fiddle to Robin van Persie. From a management perspective, it’s probably fair to describe that as an assertive start. From the player’s point of view though, the words de-motivating, demeaning and downright humiliating are probably more appropriate.
Now I’m not going to go for the sensationalised ‘crushed’ player with the ‘broken spirit’ version a la Ashton, nor do I intend to paint a picture of David Moyes as some cowardly bully, ostracising Rooney by shoving him in the reserves and abandoning him. We already know from the libel case he brought against Rooney previously (and the substantial sum he won as a result) David Moyes has the courage of his convictions and if he’s said “Overall, my thought on Wayne is that if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie we are going to need him”, then he isn’t up for a starring role anymore and that’s that.
Wayne Rooney meanwhile, as we know, is no shrinking violet either. So, with one version of events fed to us as Rooney out in the cold casting a lonely, pedestrian figure in the reserves and another that, having taken part in no competitive games so far this pre-season, Rooney (not considered to be fit enough for competitive games by his manager) is simply seeking more than a bit of light training with the first team before playing for England, I think I know which one I’d choose to believe. Add to that Rooney’s status on facebook firstly saying “Big thanks to Roy Hodgson for selecting me and showing his faith and support, appreciate it”, followed by an even clearer dig at Moyes saying “Can’t wait to join up with the England squad and hopefully play in a competitive match, they always are against Scotland”, then it’s clearer still that Wayne Rooney isn’t some helpless victim without the backbone to fight his own corner either.
The point is, it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other both in terms of what is being said and how it is being handled. Wayne Rooney might not be covering himself in glory as far as the United faithful are concerned but then David Moyes pretty much waved a red rag in front of this particular bull by publicly referring to him as an ‘option’. United supporters can’t have it both ways. Rooney’s already given them nine years, of what for any player, is generally a short-lived career and whether they like it or not, length of service does not equate to eternal loyalty – even at United. Besides, if respect and loyalty is what they demand from their players then surely that expectation should be extended to whoever manages those players too?
Anyway, it’s hardly been football’s best kept secret that Rooney’s search for the exit started long before this summer and whilst Fergie might have had enough sway to put him off course in the past, that was never likely to be the case under a new manager and with that new manager being David Moyes, Rooney would be more likely to get a sat nav than a plea to stay. In other words, neither of them are comfortable with each other’s company – if anything, they’d probably be more comfortable at opposite sides of a boxing ring than across Moyes’ desk but whilst either scenario would bring bruised egos, the damage can be limited by walking away – and to my mind, that’s all Rooney wants to do.
I once read you should never make anyone a priority when they only see you as an option. Wayne Rooney has been told, publicly, that for Manchester United he’s no more than an option – make up your own mind……
Blue is the colour
