If Rooney Wasn’t English He’d Be Out The Door Pronto

I watched Wayne Rooney against Leicester on Saturday and without doubt there are several issues about the way he’s playing at the moment which should cause concern for Manchester United.

1. He’s not getting in behind defenders at all with his runs.
2. He’s creating virtually nothing when he drops off.
3. The energy and graft which kept him in sides when neither of the above were happening wasn’t there either.

United fans now know it, they see it and they are right to question it.

Legend
Why though, when the lad is a club legend , has won so much and will break the club record for goals?

Because he’s holding the team back currently, and if there was a straight swap with a striker or a number 10 who currently is recognised as one of the world’s best, United could win the title. It’s that simple.

Add the wise words of Sir Alex Ferguson which he repeated regularly; “no player is bigger than the club,” and the whole Rooney affair smacks of a player getting a game because of his name. That isn’t fair but more importantly…

…a penny for the thoughts of the players shifted around or not in the team because of the presence of the captain?

England Competition
I’m a Rooney fan, and as an England fan I appreciate his efforts at a time of change. From the “Golden generation,” to the cupboard being bare, to a few shoots of recovery recently. But even now at international level with Harry Kane scoring, Sterling putting in City performances, Sturridge finally back fit and Vardy breaking records, are we really going to suggest a man leads us into Euro 2016 ahead of those guys because of past glories?

We have even got into the situation in the media whereby when Rooney scores, the automatic headline is “HE’S BACK.” We all salivate how the deluge of goals are coming to stick a V up to those who dared doubt him.

But those goals from 4 or 5 years ago have dried up in truth. We comfort ourselves with “He can play as a 10, yes definitely a 10” and convince ourselves there is still plenty for him to offer. But he has shown nothing other than a little running around, the odd drilled pass wide and that’s it! That’s what 300k a week buys you!

I’d even suggest that if Rooney wasn’t an Englishman but playing as he is now, a bit like Angel Di Maria recently, he’d have been shown the door in double quick time.

Bench Time
Look, I am a Rooney fan, but the reality is for whatever reason he just isn’t doing it. I think he’s just got a lot of football miles on the clock and his football age, because of his longevity, is late 30’s. And in a season where his stats alone could be the difference between winning the title and not, it would be remiss of Van Gaal not to at least do his star striker a favour and stick him on the bench for a spell to see if he reacts.

If he doesn’t, then like Beckham, Stam, Keane and co., the cruel reality of great management needs to say one simple thing to Rooney.

You’re a club legend, but it’s time for you to go.