Few things continue to baffle us more in the football world than the treatment of Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney.
This is a guy who is about to break goalscoring records for club and country. But it’s not that he is crawling over the line in the last few miles of his career. At 28 this guy has 5 good years left in the tank.
99 caps and 43 goals for England. Even if he gets pulled further back in the formation over the next few years Rooney is going to absolutely batter the goal scoring record set by Bobby Charlton (49 goals). He’s going to annihilate the caps record set by David Beckham (115). He’s even going to destroy the overall caps record set by Peter Shilton (125).
At club level, within a couple of years, he will be the all time record goalscorer with a couple of seasons still to play. And we aren’t talking about some middle of the road club. This is the most successful English club in history.
Yet, the closer he gets to these landmarks the more criticism seems to come his way. In review of the Estonia game, the BBC went with the headline – Wayne Rooney: Is England striker world class or a worry.
Seriously, the pundits can say all they like about Rooney. But if you ask the decision makers in football – the managers – Rooney’s name would be one of the first on their lips when it comes to players who they would want in their side.
Talk of him not being on the level of Ronaldo, Suarez etc completely overlooks the fact that these guys are just finishers. Rooney’s game is much richer.
He’s is far more than just a goalscorer – a guy that sits in front of the goal laying eggs. No, you are just as likely to see Rooney putting in a saving tackle on his own 18 yard line, or hitting a 60 yard pass from deep, as you are to see him hanging around the opposition goalmouth.
Rooney is the complete footballer. An absolute dream for any manager and someone who can do a job anywhere on the pitch. He’s as prolific as he is adaptable. As hungry for success now as he was as a teenager. A far better player than Beckham, Lineker, Owen and many other stars of previous England generations.
Rooney is the best defender, the best midfielder and the best striker in the England team. He’s the hardest worker as well as being the top scorer and the most technically gifted player.
Manchester United fans know all about his value to the club and they couldn’t care less what the rest think. Rooney himself would do well to follow suit. Because the lad is a living legend.
