Wayne Rooney wants to leave Manchester United
Wayne Rooney has made his intentions clear to club, Manchester United – he wants out. What followed was a bitter rant from Manchester’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson, leaving Rooney looking the villain. But in team sports, changing clubs is the norm, so why such disdain? Can we really expect total club loyalty these days?
Money makes the world go around, and there’s plenty to be had in the world of professional football today. If you’re good enough, there’ll be a selection of decent clubs all vying for your signature and in exchange for your services, you’ll be handsomely paid. Money is the most persuasive tool known to man, and if we learnt anything from the Israel Folau saga, for the right price a man will even change codes. Yet we expect footballers to be loyal to one club?
In Wayne Rooney’s case, his loyalty to his club thus far, should be commended. Starting out at Everton in 2002, before moving to Manchester United in 2004, for the last six years, Rooney has devoted himself to ManU, and at 24, these have almost certainly been the prime years of his footballing career.
The striker has been one of their most potent players, and within his time at ManU, the club has won the Premier League title three times, the 07-08 UEFA Champions League as well as two Football League Cups. His individual achievements have also included 67 appearances for England, scoring 26 goals, and becoming just the 20th Manchester United player to score over 100 goals for the club (currently sitting on 132 goals), as well as a multitude of international and national awards.
But we shouldn’t be surprised at his desire to leave. Rooney has scored just one goal in the last five games for Manchester and that came from a penalty kick. His tiff with Ferguson over the ankle injury that did, or didn’t happen is laughable, but a true sign that all is not well at Old Trafford.
The drama Rooney has been involved in off the field can’t have helped either. So can you really blame the guy for wanting to part ways and have a fresh start? In fact if I was his agent, I’d be recommending a change of scenery to revitalise his game. Even if it is just kilometres away in Manchester City, at least it’s a fresh start!
In team sports like football many will stay at one club, before moving on to another, until a better offer comes along and they move to another. Only a select few ever remain completely loyal to the one club for their entire career, and you’d be hard-pressed to find such a player these days.
Alex Ferguson’s press conference was like watching a bitter divorcee talk about how they didn’t see it coming, despite never sleeping in the same bed for 6 months. And that’s just it. Ferguson and Rooney have not had the relationship with one another that they once had. It’s a troubling sign when your best striker, who is without injury, is being consistently benched when desperately trying to find form.
Then we find out that Ferguson felt betrayed because Rooney had been touted as a player who put club loyalty before a lucrative offer. Honestly, it’s football. Is it really that surprising? Rooney happens to be one of their top players, and if he was valued as much by the club as Ferguson has said, then why was he not played week after week? Unfortunately, he put Rooney in a corner, and as a result Rooney’s given his two weeks notice.
Of course the fans have reacted accordingly, as have the press, and sure we all get a little sour when this happens, but get over it.
It’s a business, it’s capitalism, it’s modern sport.
Jamie Soward used to play for the Sydney Roosters before going to St. George Illawarra Dragons. As a Roosters fan, I know how it feels. But I don’t hate the guy. He’s a talented player, and he felt he had to move on to move up, and that’s exactly the case with Rooney.
He’s outgrown ManU and Sir Alex Ferguson and by the end of this, probably the English press too.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
It was a silly mistake. It's got nothing to do with not knowing the difference.
BigAl
Guest
Pedantic I know - but he has re-signed, not resigned(quit).
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Rooney has resigned, and the topic of conversation has now shifted away from loyalty, but in the past few days I've been thinking how much I hate the word loyalty. There is no word I dislike more when discussing sports than 'loyalty.' I think it's irrelevent, and ultimately, I don't believe that athletes should be measured on their loyalty. During the Gary Ablett saga, the most infuriating and offensive article I read was one which accused him of being disloyal. There are two reasons I hate the word 'loyalty' and why I would never use it to describe one of my favourite players: 1)Athletes need to look after themselves and their own interests. Whether they are earning $50,000 a year or £100,000 a week, players must ultimately look after their own interests, as the clubs certainly won't. This is not a criticism of the clubs, it's simply reality. Why should I criticise a player for being disloyal when I, or anyone else, would do the same thing in our working environment? 2)The hypocrisy is extraordinary. You have club officials criticise players for being disloyal or compliment others for being loyal, when they themselves aren't loyal. Whether Mark Thompson takes the Essendon job or not, he has proven to be a total hypocrite. The same for Ferguson. When I first read about Ferguson's press conference, I felt sorry for him. I then changed my mind when I remembered all the blood that was on his hands (Beckham being a prime example). The idea that Ferguson would criticise Rooney for being disloyal when he himself has been extraordinarily disloyal is astounding. Especially when, if Rooney wasn't half the player he is, Ferguson would probably have just sacked him. Which really is the point. Ferguson didn't want to keep Rooney because he felt 'loyal' to him, he wanted to keep him because he's a star. It's very easy for clubs to be loyal to stars. But if the star declines, or challenges the authority of the coach/manager/owner once too often, or threatens sponsorship arrangements (Ben Cousins), or is no longer regarded as useful, they are cast aside without a moment's thought. In fact, it's rather interesting that in international soccer, players are spoken of having been bought and sold. They are products; and it's easy to be disloyal to a product. Until clubs start to show loyalty to players (and coaches), I don't think that players owe any loyalty to the clubs.
BigAl
Guest
I agree ! - this guy Rooney is a 'bird in a gilded cage'. Now looking very much more gilded and caged - and very much dimmer. Certainly no David Beckham.
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Just saw that too! Well, he pulled my leg!
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Sorry, Fussball, I didn't see your comment. I read it on-line so I rushed over here to report. But you beat me to it.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I just read that Rooney has resigned for another five seasons. Talk about shocks!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
There you go ... all that discussion & doom and gloom scenarios comes to nothing! If a week is a long time in politics, then 24-hours is an eternity in the World Game. The boy Rooney has signed a new 5-year deal with Man United, saying "I'm delighted to sign another deal at United. In the last couple of days, I've talked to the manager and the owners and they've convinced me this is where I belong. I said on Wednesday the manager's a genius and it's his belief and support that have convinced me to stay. "I'm signing a new deal in the absolute belief that the management, coaching staff, board and owners are totally committed to making sure United maintains its proud winning history - which is the reason I joined the club in the first place. "I'm sure the fans over the last week have felt let down by what they've read and seen. But my position was from concern over the future. The fans have been brilliant with me since I arrived and it's up to me through my performances to win them over again." Source: hundreds of sources and here's one http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=834922&sec=england&cc=3436
Colin N
Guest
Yeah, but to get something as factually wrong as that, especially when it forms the basis of one of your points is a bit crucial.
Chris K
Guest
whoops! sorry, didn't realise we were talking in depth about his relationship status
Tortion
Guest
Perhaps you are right in which case it really says a great deal about the values on which the game rests. I personally find it a little sad.
apaway
Guest
There's a funny thing about "loyalty" in European football: A player signs a 5 year contract and the club and the player are in love with each other, photos in front of the main stand, shirt presentation, that kind of thing. About 3 and a half years into the contract, the club gets an offer for the player, who has delivered on the pitch and helped the club to a lofty position in the league. The offer is big, and the club starts thinking about what they could do with that sort of money, and the savings they'd make on the player's wage bill etc etc. But the player wants to see out his contract, after all, most 5 year contracts in the business world are meant to last 5 years. The club is horrified because the player would then be a free agent and the club wouldn't get the money being dangled in front of them. Relations between club and player quickly disintegrate, the fans get on the player's case (or the manager's - take your pick), the club makes the player a low-ball contract extension offer to try and get him to leave, and no-one anywhere in the whole process once mentions the word "loyalty."
apaway
Guest
And for all Leeds fans, that would be... PRICELESS.
apaway
Guest
He's 25, Walker. Surely not a "kid" anymore.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
"We apply that logic when we ask people to pay tax don’t we?" What does paying tax have to do with 'loyalty'? We don't expect people who pay more taxes to be more 'loyal' so I don't know why you would bring it up. "In any case, my point was more in the direction that for that amount of money and the sort of treatment he has been provided a touch of loyalty wouldn’t be too much to ask." I disagree. He wasn't being paid that amount of money and given that treatment out of the goodness of Manchester United's heart. He was being paid that money and given that treatment because he's one of the best players in the world. If he wasn't, Ferguson (whom I have no sympathy for as I think he's an absolute hypocrite) would have no hesitation in getting rid of him. Clubs don't show loyalty to players, so why should players show loyalty to clubs? I think he owes absolutely nothing to Manchester United, and yes, a touch of loyalty might be too much to ask. I mean, why is it always players who are expected to show loyalty to clubs? At his press conference, Ferguson should have been reminded of all of the players (David Beckham being one) that he failed to show loyalty to. "If it were I I’m sure I’d get at least a little ethical pang." You very well might, but not everyone agrees with you on that. Personally, I wouldn't have any ethical pangs if I was Rooney. Afterall, as I wrote above, Ferguson didn't pay and treat him well because he liked Rooney; he did so because Rooney is great at what he does, and considering that Ferguson would be unlikely to keep him on if Rooney proved no longer to be useful, I don't blame Rooney for leaving at all. "So should we strip back the emotion when they are charged with rape or GBH?" What an irrelevent argument.
Tortion
Guest
We apply that logic when we ask people to pay tax don't we? In any case, my point was more in the direction that for that amount of money and the sort of treatment he has been provided a touch of loyalty wouldn't be too much to ask. If it were I I'm sure I'd get at least a little ethical pang. So should we strip back the emotion when they are charged with rape or GBH?
Colin N
Guest
"I don’t think he can use the divorce from his wife as an excuse, he was struggling to hit the barn door prior to that for england" He hasn't got divorced from his wife.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
It doesn't matter what he earns. Are you suggesting that because you earn much less, you have a right to change work places and he doesn't? We do hold sportsmen to a different standard, but that is based on emotion. If you strip the emotion away, why shouldn't Rooney be able to leave if he thinks it's in his best interests to do so?
Chris K
Guest
If Rooney is leaving because he thinks ManU will not be competitive then what "competitive"club is really going to want to buy him? No one is going to want an out of form, temperamental and demanding striker? I can't think of any of the big European clubs where he can just walk in and demand the same pay. Man City have Adebayor, Santa Cruz and Balotelli on the bench. The only place i can think of is Juventus, and they are struggling at the moment, maybe Lyon want him? who knows. I don't think he can use the divorce from his wife as an excuse, he was struggling to hit the barn door prior to that for england. Anyway good riddance, time to make way for Javier Hernandez
jimbo
Roar Guru
Rooney's a wombat. He sleeps, drinks and eats roots and leaves.