The most positive aspect of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement could well be the prolonging of Wayne Rooney’s Manchester United’s career. While many onlookers will think that David Moyes’ succession can only harm Rooney’s chances of becoming Old Trafford’s main man again, on closer inspection, the younger Glaswegian may well be Rooney’s saviour.
There is no doubt that Rooney respects Ferguson. But there is also little doubt that they have had big differences over the last few years. It’s pure speculation, but we think that Fergie has questioned Rooney’s lifestyle and commitment to the Manchester United cause. Rooney’s presence has of course been integral to Manchester United’s success over the last decade but there is a sense that Fergie felt Rooney had taken his eye off the ball of late.
In turn, the player himself felt as if he was being marginalised, punished for past misdemeanours and publicly humiliated by being omitted from some of Manchester United’s biggest games – most notably the Real Madrid game in the 2nd phase of this year’s Champions League. Ferguson suggested that Rooney had lost confidence and fitness, but Rooney might have countered that the biggest reason for this was the manager’s treatment of him.
Moyes’ spats with Rooney have been extremely well publicised. The Everton boss successfully sued Rooney for comments made in his autobiography in 2008. Since then the pair have apparently made peace with Moyes going on record in 2010 as saying:
“Wayne phoned me a year ago to apologise for his book and to say that the things he’d put in it were wrong and that he had made a mistake.
“I had to give him a lot of credit for that. For me, it showed his maturity and he thanked us for the help that had been given to him at Everton.
“The court case had been won anyway, so it was over as far as I was concerned, but I said to him: ‘No problem, that’s fine. It just shows the maturity and where you’re coming to.’
“I got the impression it was something Wayne wanted to do, rather than someone suggesting it to him. It came across that he wanted to make the call and set things straight between us and I appreciated that. The maturity has come from the people around him as well, but also from the boy.
“Now he is the one who is sorting out the young players at United. Anyone who’s stepping out of line, not doing it right, he’s the one who’s looking after them. Everybody gets a bit older and wiser.”
soccersweep thinks that, with Alex Ferguson retiring, Wayne Rooney’s ‘fresh start’ can be at Manchester United. David Moyes was bitterly disappointed when Rooney joined United in 2004 and would love the chance to bring his player back to the fore. Rooney wants to play up front and Moyes will allow him that luxury. Rooney still has an insatiable desire to win and that is mirrored by the incoming boss. Rooney needs a new challenge and Moyes will ask him to lead Manchester United to European dominance.
In every way, this new marriage is a perfect fit for Manchester United and Rooney. Sir Alex’s retirement could well prolong the scouser’s Old Trafford career.
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