When Luis Figo swapped Barcelona for Real Madrid in 2000, Los Cules‘ supporters responded with a barrage of apples, oranges and, famously, a pig’s head when the Portuguese winger later returned. High in the Camp Nou stands a banner proclaimed “We hate you so much because we loved you so much.”
Such is the nature of fandom. Welcome to the hate club, Wayne Rooney.
A hero to many in the Catalan capital, Figo represented the hope of late ’90s Barça to supersede their hated rivals. To Real, Figo was simply a pawn in Florentino Perez’ Gallacticos Mark I. Barça received a world record £38 million fee but nothing could compensate for the humiliation.
Rooney has not yet taken the fateful step of joining rivals Manchester City but after Sir Alex Ferguson’s extraordinary Old Trafford press conference today, it seems more likely than ever.
“I had a meeting with him, and he intimated to me, in his own way, that he wanted to leave,” Ferguson said in a packed Old Trafford conference suite.
“We had a discussion about the whole situation. I said ‘the only thing I want from you Wayne is to respect and honour the club’s position and its traditions and behave like a proper professional and we will try and see it through’.
“I don’t know that he has done that.”
The temptation in such a scenario is to say the player has already struck a deal with City, much as Figo did with Los Merengues a decade ago. After all, Rooney it has emerged, told United of his intention to break off contract negotiations on 14 August. Just months earlier the player had asked to stay at United for life. Money always talks.
Whatever Rooney’s eventual destination, with Real Madrid and Chelsea the only other realistic options in the world game, he can no longer stay at Old Trafford after Ferguson’s comments today.
Perhaps not even past the January transfer window, even if Rooney attempts to draw a line under the week’s events.
Today’s conference was remarkable not solely for the dramatic developments but the manner in which Rooney’s take on events – at least that of his camp’s briefings in the past 48 hours – were deconstructed by the United manager.
It was masterful stuff from Ferguson. No, Rooney and the manager haven’t fallen out. Yes, David Gill has offered the player a new deal. Yes, Rooney was injured despite conjecture to the contrary. No, the striker hasn’t respected the club’s history and traditions.
Should Rooney switch to City, whose ambitions and financial clout now far exceed that at United under the Glazer regime, the humiliation will be replete. Perhaps even more so than that caused by Figo years ago.
United supporters though are more prone to dismiss those who turn their back on the club, rather than hate. Not that the Red masses have much experience in this regard.
Certainly the venom that will head Rooney’s way should the former Evertonian join City in January is unlikely to be as anywhere near as crude as that meted out to Sol Campbell. Tottenham Hotpsur fans use of crude homophobic chanting at their former captain after the defender’s move to Arsenal in 2001, will find no repeat at Old Trafford.
Nor will any decapitated farmyard animals, fruit, eggs or other missiles, find their way onto the pitch, although a United fan was arrested with darts and golf balls bound for Carlos Tevez’ head at Eastlands last season.
United supporters though, in common with most, are fickle. Love has turned to hate in an instant.
Gary Neville once said that United is a cynical club; former players are forgotten in an instant. There is an element of truth but the greats are not forgotten. Rooney, along with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Neville himself of the current generation, could have join that élite clique.
It’s a history that Rooney has seemingly forgotten.
“This is a club which bases all its history and its tradition on the loyalty and trust between managers and players and the club,” added Ferguson.
“That goes back to the days of Sir Matt. That’s what it’s founded on. Wayne’s been a beneficiary of this help, just as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and all the players have been.”
Rooney had seemed to get it; United, the history, tradition and meaning of being part of the club. How wrong this assessment turned out to be. Greed, it seems, and the player’s more base instincts have eradicated any hope of Rooney joining that pantheon.
Meanwhile, Rooney may not appear for the club again unless his ‘people’ can turn the media agenda round. On current form the England international does not merit a place in the first team squad anyway.
An ironic training ground injury has put paid to any chance of Rooney appearing against Bursaspor at Old Trafford on Wednesday night in any case.
Yet, there is still pressure for United to own a marketable asset for the next three months. United can hardly command Ronaldo-esque fees if the institutional memory is of a player who, to paraphrase the great George Best, traps the ball further than most players pass it.
Rooney’s personal marketability – unless he has already done the deal with City – is certainly lessened if he does not play again until January.
Is playing a palatable solution? Hardly. Realistic? Perhaps.
What is unacceptable is a media-driven war of words, with Rooney’s camp leading an attack on the club’s manager. Such a lack of dignity United supporters will never accept, although it remains likely.
Meanwhile, the marketing department has begun the transition already, removing Rooney’s image from Old Trafford’s East Stand façade.
The show must go on. Just not with Rooney as its most prominent face.
Picture: @danroan
You can take the man out of Liverpool….
Screw the bastard, if he wants to be a greedy mercenary and maybe join a small club (Man C) with no hope of success or head for Spain than fine. I have never been a big Rooney fan anyway, but I throught he wanted to stay here forever and now he reveals himself for what he truly is, a disrespectful piece of shit who disrespected Manchester United, Sir Alex and us supporters. Sell him to Real Madrid for £60m+ and buy Luis Suarez and Alexis Sanchez. I will always support Manchester United and Sir Alex.
If you’re not such a big fan why do you seem so upset.???
Because we are fans of the club first and foremost.
One more thing, it doesn’t matter how much Man C owners have as their ambitions wll never match that of Manchester Uniteds, We are everything they can only dream of and know will never be. We have lost better than Rooney (alot better), United will easily survive without this Liverpoolian backstabbing scumbag of a mercenary, he was clearly scared of our mexican superstar Chicharito and the in-form Berbatov. £60m+ and good riddance fat pig, we should buy Suarez and Sanchez in January.
From a Liverpool fans perspective I’m very surprised Michael Owen hasn’t had a strong word in Rooneys ear about the grass been greener and all that. Had yourselves not rescued Owens career he could well be plying his trade with the likes of Bolton Wanderers by now.
It would be a huge blow to the Premier League were he to go abroad.
Nice summary. Never a dull moment to be a United fan…
Ed, life goes on, MANUTD can do without Rooney, without any f***ING merchenary. Unfortunately, all loyalty pledges was for the cash, all the badge kissing its a big acting for the “naive” funs. I’m very sad, because i could not see this coming. Even CR7 was had more class. F**OFF Rooney
Can it be that it is not money on Rooney’s mind?
Can it be that he is a human being and a man?
That personal problems lie behind his decision just to change his life – in the dramatic way?
Like Zidane’s headbutt?
If so, he won’t be going to Shity and he won’t stay in Manchester.
Italy? Benitez?
Ed, that’s a brilliant article.
It’s COMplete. Not REplete. The humiliation will be COMPLETE.
Yours,
P. Dant
JD – nope, I meant REPLETE. As in full, engorged, total, or sated! It will also be complete as well but that’s not quite what I meant in terms of City’s desire for humiliation 🙂
It is about the MONEY with Rooney, he is at the worlds biggest football club and was offered a nice new deal worth apparently around £130-150k per wk which is up from his current £90k awk, which is a good deal to stay here at footballs heaven, but that “man” is all about the ££££ and wants to go somewhere else for no real reason at all, sell him to Real or Barca for £60m+ and he can enjoy the €€€€ in Spain whiles we continue to roll on as normal. NOBODY IS BIGGER THAN MANCHESTER UNITED.
Seems like he has had a deal done a while with City,must admit i find it hard to believe,we’re going to miss him no doubt but cant see a way back for him now. Have to tell me 3 year old that its his Man Utd shirt now and not his Rooney one,a sad day.
Might explain why Tevez is so “disillusioned” with football at the moment,won’t be the top dog for much longer..
I am doing my best not to be bitter but it seems obvious he has been tapped up. Not as if we haven’t been guilty of that ourselves in the past. Saddest part is that it is evidence that we really are losing our status as THE big club in English football.
By the way, I though Sir Alex was at his brilliant best today. Full of dignity and didn’t stoop to low end tactics. Class is permanent and Wayne appears to have very little.
The reason the posters came off the front of East Stand, is due to the Champioen league game tomorrow night.
No Nike, Utd sponsors etc are allowed to be up in the ground or outside.
These posters always come off.
PS- Rooney is still a Utd player.
Take my word for it, Rooney is on his way to Liverpool. I know because I heard Roy Hodgson saying “Looks like Waynes’ coming”. I didn’t hear any more because it started pissing down and I had to run for cover. Ha Ha ha love it Wazza
Just spat coffee. Funny :o)
yeah, your mum loves it too, and waynes cum in auld slapper a few times as well
Sir Alex was class as usual in the MUTV interview, I seen abit of the SSN interview of Fergie aswell and I can say without doubt that Wayne Rooney is a total disgrace to football and Sir Alex is sheer class and handled it with diginity and respect, something that pig hasnt done as he has done nothing but disrespect the club that made him a star.The sooner he is gone the better, Fergie can get someone else that is miles better (and there are alot) to replace that over-rated mercenary. Believe.
Well, it will only be humiliating if he plays well at his next stop, like Tevez has. Nothing in the last few months to suggest that. I really can’t see him succeeding at Real.
On the other hand, he’s only freaking 24 and he’s been through a shitstorm. I wouldn’t rule out having him come to his senses and make good here with us. A few choice goals would end the boos.
After the world cup, “winking” nonsense… Ronaldo nearly bailed, but Ferguson brought him round… and he came back awesome… Ronaldo seemed to thrive on the abuse, and pressure.
Rooney on the other hand… (if this prozzy scandal, has had anything to do with his shit form), doesn’t do so well. Look at his rant at the camera, after the booing of the England team.
If Rooney does leave United, which now looks certain… he’d be wise to leave England, cause I don’t think he’ll cope playing for another PL team… he will get slaughtered at every away game, and his temperment won’t handle it.
Just imagine the pressure of joing the Bitters, on £200K+ a week… getting dogs abuse, game after game… if you’re not playing well… and Rooney hasn’t been playing well… and he’s not going to get his game back in a United shirt… is he?
It’s days like this that make you fall out of love with the game. Paying money to watch players you idolise but who offer nothing back in return.
Welcome to professional Football where the fan is only important as long as he pays.
He will play for Man City, and will not care about the abuse because its all about money. I just finished listening to a special BBC report and Rooney’s agent said he had advised Rooney that if he wants to make real big money, he best make a move now because soon the FIFA rules are going to change and players will not be getting paid all these huge salaries. Now on the BBC news they are saying this seems to be the reason why Rooney wants to leave. But Rooney is making big money at United! Must be more to it than what BBC is saying. Maybe it has something to do with what his wife is saying. Wife maybe taking him to the cleaners, so he needs more money.
Were they direct quotes from Stretford or relayed by the BBC? Any link?
As regards the money he’s making at United, yes it’s unreal, but some players just can’t get enough.
He might have disrepected the club, but we still have to play him. He’s still our best player, and we don’t want his value to go down.
The way I see it, all people are entitled to leave their place of work if they’ve had enough. I’m just not happy with the way Rooney contradicted Sir Alex Ferguson regarding his ankle injury.
Ferguson asked him to respect the traditions of our club, and it looks like Rooney’s failed to do so.
This is the main BBC news station. They are running the story every 30 minutes.But listen, Ive just figured out whats really going on. These are all syndicate moves and well planned. I may be wrong but I think Rooney will be going to Real Madrid. And when Fergie retires, Mourinho is going to take over Man Utd and when Mourinho leaves Madrid, he will bring both Ronaldo and Rooney back to Old Trafford with him. This has been all played out to go this way, its all about money, making money and bringing success. Now I believe also that Fergie will buy Fernando Torres from Liverpool. By the time Fergie retires in 2012, Ronaldo and Rooney will only be 26 years old. When Mourinho comes in, United’s strikers will be Torres, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov. United will already have an unbeatable team in place.
Drugs man, they fuck you up.
So… you reckon, “You may be wrong”, do you?
Fuckin hell Mate… Come back down before you get a nose bleed.
Hey, just thought I would put that out there.
But you know, if Mourinho was ever to become the manager,he normally takes his star players with him.
But if Rooney does leave, SAF may finally buy at least one world class player. We will see what team he puts out against Bursapor.
Sell the backstabber for £60m+ and bring in Luis Suarez, Alexis Sanchez, Steven Defour and maybe try for Gigi Buffon. If Rooney wants to leave for MONEY, win nothing and spend the next 10-15yrs wishing he never left Manchester United than fine, I hope he suffers. Bring in Suarez, Sanchez, Defour and Buffon, these 4 would be great here and add more quality to our great squad. I was never big on Rooney anyway and he will not be missed, we have lost far better and kept winning, trust in ManUtd and Fergie.
Luis Suarez and Alexis Sanchez would be great buys! My midfield playmaker would be Douglas Costa. SAF has brought these names up already and he is also saying he is monitoring the siuation with Torres at Liverpool.
Would need another strong midfielder as a replacment for Hardgreaves. A similar type player as Hardgreaves.
Really don’t know how much money SAF is going to spend on players. GLAZERS need all the money they can get to pay off debts.
What will be the team spirit for the game against Bursapor? Maybe you will read tomorrow that SAF has gone on vacation to Bermuda to cool off a bit.
This time next year, he’ll be slobbering over another badge and saying how he wants to stay for life.
This is what makes players like Giggs and Scholes all the more precious. They could have had their choice of clubs, but chose to stay and serve the club that made them. It’s that kind of loyalty that makes them legends and ensures that they’ll forever be part of the club’s fabric and entrenched in supporters’ hearts.
And as for Rooney?“We hate you so much because we loved you so much.”
Last comment, Iam just hearing more news from BBC and they are now saying that Man United were raising Rooney’s salary from 100,000 pounds a week to 160,0000 pounds a week. But Rooney’s agent has influenced him not to sign the new deal because Man City are offering to pay him 250,000 pounds a week. Iam definately in the wrong business. I think I will start training myself and play football. All this money being thrown about, if Rooney does go, than his heart and loyalty was not for Man Utd.
Just another glory hunter. Those Stoke fans better not get their hopes up because these young players are coming and their hungry. They will be up for this away game.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1321997/Martin-Samuel-Why-Wayne-Rooney-NOT-Manchester-City.html
Decent enough article… but the point that jumped out was this…
“That was before the ramifications of the Webster ruling became apparent. In 2006, Andy Webster, a defender with Heart of Midlothian, proved the right according to Article 17 of FIFA’s transfer rules, to walk away from a contract by buying out the remainder of the term.
Any player who signed a deal before the age of 28 is entitled to do this after three years. Rooney could in effect buy out his Manchester United contract for £5m and a nominal fee this summer and jump over the fence at the Carrington training ground complex into the arms of City next door.
There is supposed to be an unwritten agreement among members of the European Club Association that they will not exploit the Webster ruling loophole, yet this did not stop Trabzonspor of Turkey employing Tony Sylva from French club Lille in 2008, nor did it prevent the move of Jonas Gutierrez from Real Mallorca to Newcastle United.
Unwritten agreements, as any lawyer will tell you, are not worth the paper they are not written on.
Quite how David Gill, the chief executive of Manchester United, missed this trick is a mystery. It has been suggested that any tardiness in getting Rooney signed long term came from the top at Old Trafford.
In which case, it was surely Gill’s job to bring the Webster ruling to the attention of the board and make it plain how vulnerable the club would be if it entered this season with Rooney unsecured.
Even if Manchester United were now to try to sell in the January transfer window, they would be offered a greatly inferior price by suitors who know the player can be put on the market as a free agent in the summer for roughly what Chelsea paid Liverpool for Yossi Benayoun.”
Exactly right… why the fuck was this ever allowed to happen?
Aye, but he had it “figured out”…ffs
My verdict is out until Wayne spills the beans on why he wants to move on….SAF has always come up smelling of Roses when a player has moved on, lets hear Wayne’s story first.
Spike – I doubt we’ll get a public answer from Wayne until he leaves. It’ll be spin in the paper – just look for all the stories saying the inside story or professing to know what Rooney thinks. That’s Stretford’s team briefing the papers. See Daily Mail and BBC pieces today. It’s a about the massive wages City have promised him already.. nobody quits a job without already having something lined up.
As much as I’m on United/SAF’s side on this matter, Fergie can’t be complaining about the lack of respect that Rooney is showing. What goes around comes around, is the saying:
Back in 2006, SAF could easily have sold Ruud just like millions of teams sell millions of players. But Fergie had to humiliate Ruud for the last 3-4 months, keeping him on the bench, exposing him to one indignity after another.
There was no need for that disrespect, Fergie.
ffs..do you watch the news?
who is at fault in this whole saga?
1.rooney himself.of course he’s so greedy he has no respect for the club which has made him the player he is today.
2.glazers!!they have taken the club in a backward direction in the last few years and clearly its going to get worse.why would rooney want to stay at a club which is not going to win any major trophy in near future
3.sir alex!!!it is clear that united need few good players in the team.he hasn’t found replacements for giggs,scholes,van der sar when he could have easily done if he had not wasted money on buying players like tosic,obertan,bebe who were never going to be united starting 11 material.why would rooney want to play in an ageing team which shows no signs of changing?
finally does rooney’s departure mark an end of the fergusan era?if he can’t convince a united fan for life player to stay at the club,when he leaves how many top players would want to come to old trafford if money is available for spending(which i doubt)??
arrgh
wait a while to see whom he joins before spouting so much bile. if he goes abroad, the reasons for the move may very well be personal and not financial.
Everything points towards Rooney already being tapped up by City.
Fergie said a couple of times “I’m bemused, I don’t understand it”. If he was going abroad for a change, to challenge himself – Fergie would understand that.
The fucker’s going to City. It’s all about money. This is the last chance to get huge wages – even bigger than Yaya Toure’s – as these kind of wages will end when the new finanical fair play rules come in.
The Rooney Camp will try to spin this as United declining and City rising – and Rooney is merely ambitious, but it’s not that at all. The only way that could be true is if the Club were unable to guarantee future investment or if he knows that Fergie is leaving very soon.
I’m pretty sure he’ll stew on the bench from now on and leave in January. What effect will this have on United and Fergie?
Will this fire the team or will it make performances even more lacklustre? Equally, will Fergie react to this challenge and seek to put it right (on the pitch and in the transfer market) and leave United still strong? Or will he feel like he’s done with this game now and things will slowly decline further?
Football has changed a whole lot since the stoneages. Players dont seem to have any loyalty towards clubs anymore, especially united.
Hasnt anyone noticed,that its been so difficult for united to attract even young and promising players,take the case Aaron ramsey,Gareth bale, Modric…etc…etc
Rooney has the right to make any decision he wants to better his life, his family and his football career. If he thinks going to someother club would be best for him, sure he can live; we have done well without great players in the past.
But i think utd has to address the underlying situation, how come we are not attracting classy players anymore, Snider a good example. We now compete with forgive me to use the word mediocre teams for players.
were are the men in utd, the leaders, the characters, the headliners, the players with GUTS,the Cantonas, the Robsons, the Keanes.Please turn your eyes to chelsea and man city and you will see them.
I was really envious of realmadrid yesterday and said to myself, this is should be united,with so much array of stars at their disposal.
I pray Hagreaves comes back soon and take his place in utd.
Just seeing Manchini interviewed on Sky.
He says he knows nothing about an approach for Rooney. Quite respectful in what he says about Man Utd and SAF.
Also interview with Mourinho. He says Rooney will stay but had to smile when suggested that Rooney will partner Ronaldo at RM.
Mancini has not had any talks with Rooney. Its the owner of Man City coming out and saying he is willing to offer 50 million pounds to bring ROONEY to Man City. The owneris also saying how much he admired Rooney and that this signing would be just what City needs. I do believe that Rooney’s wife is encouraging him also to go after this big money. No disrespect to his wife but my wife would be the same. I read also that Rooney was upset with David Gill, but the article is not giving all the facts. Chelsea now are also interested and Real Madrid also, but they are willing to do business next summer. These other clubs are looking to buy him in the January transfer window. United will not get 50 million if they wait until the summer. There is a another rumor saying Rooney’s wife would really like to move to London.
For players like Giggs, Scholes, Gerrard, Del Piero, Maldini, etc… it’s not JUST about loyalty… it’s also ideal that they’re playing for the club they’d support as a fan… plus there’s an element of personal character about it as well.
Giggs and Scholes could have found bigger pay packets, if they looked elsewhere, but both solved the simple question.. just how much money do you need to be happy?… there are more important aspects to a content life… they’re both financially set for life, and will retire with the utmost respect of all, even opposition fans… look at Del Piero… stuck with Juventus, even after their demotion to the knackers yard… he’ll go down as one of Juves all time favourite sons.
Players like that are becoming more and more rare.
Who’s to say wed even entertain the idea of selling to City? we refused to do it for Heinze, and City are certainly serious contenders now.
I think he will go to Real Madrid with Benzema coming the other way plus 30million.
I love when people who themselves negotiate salaries, long for raises, and in that sense, are as “mercenary” as footballers suddenly behave as if they volunteer Monday through Friday when a footballer exhibits similar behavior about his very limited years for moneymaking.
As for the rest, I take the man at his word. United totally lack ambition at the moment, and after two summers, it’s obvious we aren’t going to buy anyone, will struggle in the league and have little chance of winning the CL. Why stay on such a team, if you are a fierce competitor? And the rot will only get worse. Giggs, Scholes and Neville — and perhaps Rio — are essentially done as players. Anyone see any moves to replace them?
I don’t.
So I blame this fiasco on the Glazers, pure and simple. And Fergie’s reluctance to use his stature to take them on (and he could do), is another factor.
Exactly. Rooney would have lived a fucking comfortable life either way; he already had more money than sense. The extra £100k a week City will give won’t seem worth it when his son is a teenager and hates his dad for fucking prozzies while he was in the womb. Not that he and Colleen will still be together then. Imagine what a fat scumbag Rooney’s going to be once he’s not playing anymore.
That’s a stupid argument. Fans give footballers everything they have: they give money to the club and the club gives it to the player. We’re realistic, players move, it’s a tough business. But when a player shoves our noses in it like Rooney is doing, telling us basically we’re stupid arseholes for ever paying any money or caring about the club as more than a business, he should be called out on it.
It’s not a “stupid” argument, it’s one based in reality.
Players care about money, just like everyone else. What we expect, what we hope is that they care about MORE than just the money — and in Rooney’s case, I think it’s undeniable that he cares about the club, the fans and is a competitor who wants to win.
And being such, I take the man at his word.
Rooney apparently was concerned about languishing at a club whose ambitions are not the same as when he came to United from Everton. I remember signing Rooney and thinking that is the kind of buy we should be making. Can you imagine such a signing today? I can’t. And neither can Roo. What’s more, as many have pointed out, the writing is on the wall. Scholes and Giggs cannot keep carrying the midfield and we have no big players in the offing to replace them. Is this team going to get better without some MAJOR purchases. I don’t think so.
I actually think it’s a stupid choice on Rooney’s part. His agent will make a killing from his transfer to City, but financially Rooney’s going to be worse off. When the prostitute story broke he should have called it off, put his head down, and made a new deal with United. Now he’s just told the world that he’s not only the world’s worst dad, he’s a mercenary asshole too. Not that non-United supporters care much, but they’re not going to think much of him for it, and his England performances have been so bad that there’s no good will there he can rely on. City’s fans will love having him because they can rub our noses in it, but they won’t love the player, just what he represents. In the long run then, I think Rooney’s going to lose a lot more money from sponsorships than he’ll get from City’s wages.
Good point there bman “that Rooney is an “old-fashioned” footballer, that he’d play for free ‘cos he loves it so much”
Never bought in to that shite Brand…the only one or two who come close to it are Giggs and Schoolsy, they could have picked and chosen from all the top clubs in Europe, they didn’t, they stayed!
Alf, good find..there should be more in the Press how Gill fucked that one up.
Yeah, Rooney’s brand is bollocks
He fucked over Everton big time – ‘EVERTON FOR LIFE’ – then pissed off to the big horrible Man United
Scholes is a proper ‘boy in the playground’ type footballer. He dunt even have an agent, does he. Class