Saturday, October 23, 2010
Roo-ined Reputation?
“A week is a long time in politics” or so goes one of the most tired clichés of our time. Indeed this week was quite certainly a long, if not a surreal one if you happened to be involved with Manchester united in anyway. Be it on the pitch, the boardroom or on the stands; no one seemed to have the faintest clue behind Wayne Rooney intentions to leave the club this week, never mind the nerve centre of the club himself, Sir Alex Ferguson, as the shocked and saddened gaffer confirmed the news that Rooney indeed desired to move elsewhere during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
Turn the clocks back to April and the very notion of the England striker making his way out of old Trafford could only be dismissed as nonsense to the highest degree, enjoying his most prolific season yet, while continuously reiterating his desire to end his career at Old Trafford, no one could foretell how the next six months would pan out, each bringing a new test to Fergusons patience, some of which greats such as Keane, McGrath, Beckham and Van Nistelrooy had been shown the door for acts less damaging to the ones in which Rooney was producing, with the England striker being more likely to appear on the front page of the tabloids rather than the back.
Having taken a blind eye to tabloid reports of being caught taking part in late night drinking sessions and unacceptable behaviour, added to revelations of his infidelity in his private life and a dismal run of form leading back to the world cup, many feared that Rooney had finally passed one bridge too many with Ferguson as reports of Rooney publicly speaking out against his manager in accusing him of lying about any injury Rooney had picked up. As the public eye took focus of frosty relations between the two just eighteen months before the forwards contract was due to end whispers of a possible exit was spreading like wildfire. As a seemingly clueless Ferguson confirmed that Rooney wished to leave transfer talk reached fever pitch, where would he go? Chelsea? Spain? The club on everyone lips was in fact United neighbours Man City. A club with enough financial potential to prosper long enough for the prime of the scouse natives career, the opportunity to become part of the most controversial transfers of all time and the trouble of relocated a young family to be avoided; it seemed a big money move was indeed on the cards.
As Death threats and public outcry followed at the act of Judaism in which “wazza” which about to step into, football fans around the world found themselves dumfounded on Friday afternoon as news broke that Rooney in fact now decided on a fascinating U-turn that he was now quite content to stay at united, albeit for fifty thousand added to his current wage bill and the promise that world class players be added to the squad.
But after such a week of uncertainty, disbelief and in turn relief, what implications will the events which occurred in it have for the club, the fans, and Rooney himself?. Although it could be said for Rooney that he was simply speaking up against the owners (who to be fair have had their fair share of protests over their reign, not least the green and gold campaign which is still overrunning) and their lack of investment into the club following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, the manner in which Rooney spoke up will indeed do himself no favours to his already crumbling reputation, with the tag “money grabber” unsurprisingly thrown around with the forwards name.
Whether or not the Liverpool native had the real interests of Manchester united at heart, and not his bank balance, it is yet to be seen that the player will ever be held in the same regard as he once was amongst the Stretford end faithful, as the damage has, nevertheless be done. As far as the club is concerned, it cannot be stressed enough that never before has the club bent over backwards to suit one player in such a fashion, as opposed to giving him the door in the way many have previously been treated. United may have got their player, but at the price of some of the great pride this proud club has enjoyed in being such a club in which no player is bigger than, a fact the fans will find hard to take. Perhaps it is the lack of investment and financial power at United’s disposal over recent times which have caused such a situation to happen. One thing remains to be seen is that will the promises given to Rooney be stood by after all that has occurred and what consequences will be faced if they are failed to be met? Here’s Hoping next week things in the world of football can be just a bit simpler, a long time in politics indeed.
Turn the clocks back to April and the very notion of the England striker making his way out of old Trafford could only be dismissed as nonsense to the highest degree, enjoying his most prolific season yet, while continuously reiterating his desire to end his career at Old Trafford, no one could foretell how the next six months would pan out, each bringing a new test to Fergusons patience, some of which greats such as Keane, McGrath, Beckham and Van Nistelrooy had been shown the door for acts less damaging to the ones in which Rooney was producing, with the England striker being more likely to appear on the front page of the tabloids rather than the back.
Having taken a blind eye to tabloid reports of being caught taking part in late night drinking sessions and unacceptable behaviour, added to revelations of his infidelity in his private life and a dismal run of form leading back to the world cup, many feared that Rooney had finally passed one bridge too many with Ferguson as reports of Rooney publicly speaking out against his manager in accusing him of lying about any injury Rooney had picked up. As the public eye took focus of frosty relations between the two just eighteen months before the forwards contract was due to end whispers of a possible exit was spreading like wildfire. As a seemingly clueless Ferguson confirmed that Rooney wished to leave transfer talk reached fever pitch, where would he go? Chelsea? Spain? The club on everyone lips was in fact United neighbours Man City. A club with enough financial potential to prosper long enough for the prime of the scouse natives career, the opportunity to become part of the most controversial transfers of all time and the trouble of relocated a young family to be avoided; it seemed a big money move was indeed on the cards.
As Death threats and public outcry followed at the act of Judaism in which “wazza” which about to step into, football fans around the world found themselves dumfounded on Friday afternoon as news broke that Rooney in fact now decided on a fascinating U-turn that he was now quite content to stay at united, albeit for fifty thousand added to his current wage bill and the promise that world class players be added to the squad.
But after such a week of uncertainty, disbelief and in turn relief, what implications will the events which occurred in it have for the club, the fans, and Rooney himself?. Although it could be said for Rooney that he was simply speaking up against the owners (who to be fair have had their fair share of protests over their reign, not least the green and gold campaign which is still overrunning) and their lack of investment into the club following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, the manner in which Rooney spoke up will indeed do himself no favours to his already crumbling reputation, with the tag “money grabber” unsurprisingly thrown around with the forwards name.
Whether or not the Liverpool native had the real interests of Manchester united at heart, and not his bank balance, it is yet to be seen that the player will ever be held in the same regard as he once was amongst the Stretford end faithful, as the damage has, nevertheless be done. As far as the club is concerned, it cannot be stressed enough that never before has the club bent over backwards to suit one player in such a fashion, as opposed to giving him the door in the way many have previously been treated. United may have got their player, but at the price of some of the great pride this proud club has enjoyed in being such a club in which no player is bigger than, a fact the fans will find hard to take. Perhaps it is the lack of investment and financial power at United’s disposal over recent times which have caused such a situation to happen. One thing remains to be seen is that will the promises given to Rooney be stood by after all that has occurred and what consequences will be faced if they are failed to be met? Here’s Hoping next week things in the world of football can be just a bit simpler, a long time in politics indeed.
Monday, October 18, 2010
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