Rooney & his agent playing a game of brinkmanship & bluff?
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Wayne Rooney: I am too good for Manchester United (even though Sir Alex Ferguson has landed 35 trophies)
Full of himself: Wayne Rooney struts in a Manchester United shirt - will he wear it again?
Wayne Rooney turned his back on Manchester United for good on Wednesday night after telling Sir Alex Ferguson his team is no longer good enough to satisfy his personal ambitions.
As the public relations war over Rooney's decision to quit Old Trafford took another dramatic turn, the 24-year-old revealed that he is leaving because he feels United are not prepared to invest serious money in new players.
Rooney's remarks will cut to the heart of the debate over how the club is being run under the Glazer family's debt-ridden ownership.
But they will also cause ructions in the United dressing-room and it would appear unlikely he will ever pull on a red shirt again.
Last night Ferguson hit back, saying after his team's 1-0 Champions League win over Bursaspor at Old Trafford that Rooney will not find a better club.
Ferguson also revealed that the Glazers had been consulted about the issue before kick-off and that the club would decide on a definite plan of action after a 10am meeting between himself and chief executive David Gill today.
The United manager would not comment on suggestions that Rooney may never play for him again but it seems inconceivable that he will be at the club beyond the January transfer window.
In his statement - issued two hours before kick-off last night - Rooney said: 'I met with David Gill last week and he did not give me any of the assurances I was seeking about the future squad. 'I then told him that I would not be signing a new contract.
'I was interested to hear what Sir Alex had to say yesterday and surprised by some of it. 'It is absolutely true, as he said, that my agent and I have had a number of meetings with the club about a new contract.
'During those meetings in August I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world.
Heading in different directions: The relationship between Wayne Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson has plumbed surprising depths this week
'I have never had anything but complete respect for MUFC. 'How could I not have done given its fantastic history and especially the last six years in which I have been lucky to play a part?
'For me its all about winning trophies - as the club has always done under Sir Alex. Because of that I think the questions I was asking were justified.
'Despite recent difficulties, I know I will always owe Sir Alex Ferguson a huge debt. He is a great manager and mentor who has helped and supported me from the day he signed me from Everton when I was only 18.
'For Manchester United's sake I wish he could go on forever because he's a one-off and a genius.'
As Sportsmail revealed this week, Rooney's decision to turn his back on the club with which he has won eight major trophies is being pure motivated by cash, both in terms of the amount he was offered to sign a new contract and the amount being spent on new players.
Last night, however, Ferguson came out fighting as he warned Rooney he would not find fulfilment at another club and assured United's supporters that the future is in the right hands.
'Some players think it is better somewhere else,' said Ferguson. 'It does not really work. 'Sometimes you look in a field and see a cow and think it's a better cow than the one you have in your own field. It rarely works out that way. It's probably the same cow as you have, or it's not as good.
'We don't want this to carry on, don't want it to become a saga. I haven't read the whole statement. We will consider it all tomorrow because David Gill and I have a meeting. David spoke to the owners tonight, which is important. What is really important is for us to put this to bed. 'I'm a manager who wants to win a game against Stoke City on Sunday.'
Making their feelings known: Wayne Rooney has burned bridges with many of the Manchester United faithful
Rooney's suggestion that United have not invested in enough quality players in recent times has clearly irritated his manager.
Ferguson added: 'We will invest in signature players when the time is ready. This summer was not right for me. There was no value. There was one player we identified but he didn't want to come to England.
'If I told you how many agents call me or email my secretary every week to say their players want to play for us - and not just run of the mill players, I am talking about players at almost every club in the world - it would amaze you.
'We will be OK, I am confident in that. We have the right staff, the right manager, the right chief executive. There is nothing wrong with Manchester United. Not a thing wrong with it.
'One player once said to me that Ronaldo and Rooney weren't good enough and he wasn't prepared to wait for them - can you believe that? That's the problem. People don't identify potential, they're very poor at it. I have identified it all my life. I know potential, I know where it can be developed, I know how to develop it, I have faith in it.
'Young people surprise you when they are given the opportunity and that is what this club is about.'
United fans will not have been impressed by the timing of Rooney's statement last night, given that it was released as kick-off was approaching.
Rooney is injured at the moment, after an accidental clash with Paul Scholes in training on Tuesday, and was not visible inside the stadium.
Supporters will also be bemused by the rather cold way that Rooney referred to his club as 'MUFC' in his statement.
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Nani: Winning games is more important than Wayne Rooney
On the ball: Nani says United are striving to improve results on the field after unspectacular start to the season
Nani has broken the silence in the Manchester United dressing room over Wayne Rooney, insisting winning matches is far more important than the striker's future.
The Portuguese winger scored United's only goal in last night's Champions League win over Bursaspor to put Sir Alex Ferguson's men within touching distance of the knockout stages.
But the win was completely overshadowed by all the talk surrounding Rooney after the England international's pre-match admission that he intends to quit Old Trafford.
Sideshow: But Nani insists Rooney's United team-mates are not distracted by the striker's uncertain future
Ferguson will convene with chief executive David Gill at 10am on Thursday morning to discuss Rooney's incredible statement.
Nani revealed the players are not distracted by the ongoing saga, however, insisting it is business as usual with his team-mates determined to put performances right on the pitch following an indifferent start to the season.
'The situation has not affected us,' he told MUTV.
'He [Wayne Rooney] is an important player for us but we know what is more important for the club and that is to win games and make the fans happy.'
Defender Chris Smalling also declared that Rooney's situation has not unsettled the squad and their hard-fought win over the Turkish outfit was proof spirit remains high.
He said: 'There's been a great team spirit all week, everybody was focused after a good training session going into the game and I think that showed on the pitch.'
United face Stoke on Sunday in a match they must win to put their title ambitions back on track after last weekend's 2-2 home draw with newly-promoted West Bromwich.
'We are working really hard to return to our best form and we want to win the next game,' said Nani.
Ferguson's side travel to the Britannia Stadium on Sunday lunchtime fourth in the Barclays Premier League, separated by five points behind league leaders Chelsea.
Italian striker Federico Macheda added: 'Now for this week we must concentrate on Sunday/ We will work hard and hopefully win what is a big game.'
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MANCHESTER UNITED NEWS
Vidic unhappy with Rooney
Nemanja Vidic feels Wayne Rooney's comments are unhelpful
Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic is unhappy with Wayne Rooney after his recent critical comments about the current side.
Rooney has made it clear that he wants to head for pastures new and, in a statement on Wednesday, claimed: "[David Gill] did not give me any of the assurances I was seeking about the future squad. I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world.
"For me it's all about winning trophies - as the club has always done under Sir Alex. Because of that I think the questions I was asking were justified."
It has been inferred that Rooney feels the current crop of players at Old Trafford are not up to scratch and his statement has irked the likes of Vidic and France international Patrice Evra.
"Rooney is going around and talking about the bad playing, or something happening around the club with the Glazers - it is not good for the players and not good for the team," Vidic told Sky Sports following the 1-0 win over Bursaspor.
Evra has insisted he has the utmost faith in the players around him. "If one player does not trust the other players, that player should not play," he said. "I am not like that as I trust everyone and I know we can win."
He added: "The situation with Wayne Rooney is for the boss, not for the players. We are just focused on winning games and bringing back the winning mentality.
"It's about doing the basics. Everyone talks about Manchester United but nobody has beaten us. The problem has been us - we have made some silly mistakes but teams have not been better than us. We have not been playing badly.
"The target for us is to win back the title and we are focused on doing that. I trust everyone so let's keep going.
"No team is better than us at the moment. You may think I'm crazy but I say it because it's true. Manchester belong at the top and I'm confident we can do that. We need to be professional. We need to perform - I don't like excuses about what's going on around the club. Everyone needs to focus on themselves."
Federico Macheda says he would be happier if Rooney stayed at the club.
"There would be more chances for me if Wayne wasn't here but it is better to have him in the squad," he said. "He is a good striker. The squad is stronger with him here."
He added: "We are capable of challenging for major trophies. We have a great squad. We work hard every day to win things."
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Rooney...........that ungrateful redneck...........strikes again !!!
1st Everton and now Man U............
if i were Man U boss...........i'll sell him to the highest bidder and then get thugs to break BOTH his legs..........
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This could very possibly be the decline of Rooney. At Man Utd he is the focal point, at other clubs he will just be one of them.
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Fergie once said it. If you leave united, your career is going down, unless you are leaving for Barcelona, as Barcelona is a class above United at the moment in terms of play, passing and winning of trophies.
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Originally posted by Rooney9:
Fergie once said it. If you leave united, your career is going down, unless you are leaving for Barcelona, as Barcelona is a class above United at the moment in terms of play, passing and winning of trophies.
You shall prepare to ditch yr nick.
Btw, I believe the real reason Rooney wants to leave is becos of the scandal. He is too young to handle this kind of off pitch issue. Man U shall go and curse those Sun's news reporter for digging his personal life...
Leaving for a foreign club is the best solution for him.
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Everybody hates the English press, it nearly drove Ashley Cole out too.
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Not everybody, the people who buys and read it seems to love it... lol.
Anyway, I was kind of laughing at the way Fergie said it referring to a cow... lol.
'Sometimes you look in a field and see a cow and think it's a better cow than the one you have in your own field. It rarely works out that way. It's probably the same cow as you have, or it's not as good.
Is he referring to the clubs or the wife and the prostitutes he got mixed up with ?
Otherwise why use cow ?
Cos the part... "the one you have in your own field " kind of like the one you have at home to me...
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Not everybody, the people who buys and read it seems to love it... lol.
Anyway, I was kind of laughing at the way Fergie said it referring to a cow... lol.
Is he referring to the clubs or the wife and the prostitutes he got mixed up with ?
Otherwise why use cow ?
Cos the part... "the one you have in your own field " kind of like the one you have at home to me...
well it tallies with roy keane's comment that players are "pieces of meat."
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time to move on. if he wants to leave, so be it. we cant be crying over his leaving, cash on his leaving by selling to the highest bidder, then use the cash to buy a top notch creative midfielder like kaka or sneider as long term replacement for scholes. I doubt Torres will join United.
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why is the press saying rooney is disrespectful to his team mates and evra,vidic feeling disrespected i dun understand.....isn't that true of other wantaways?? but you never hear saha of being disrespectful when he wanted to leave fulham nor james milner and even rooney previously when he left everton....
why is rooney being villified more than the other wantaways?? just becos man u is a big club?? seems like c ronaldo had it easier even when it's clear he left for money and not ambition
and why am i defending rooney??
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Those club who is interested in rooney will also one day find it hard to accomodate him too. Go for a new cow...yes indeed.
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the bloody debt levels lar knn....can the board of directors follow liverpool and sell united to a new owner. the current level of debt is unsustainable.
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what has rooney won at everton? nothing...
what has he won at united? 3 league titles, 1 CL and 1 world club cup, plus 3 league cups isnt it. who made him the english footballer of the year?
enuff said.......
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Man u should bring in young players...probably more asian players.
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ya like fandi ahmad sons.
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Bye,
Bye,
Bye,
BYE BYE!!!
No one is bigger than the club looney, no one.
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Wayne Rooney receives death threat: Angry fans with 'Join City & Die' banner outside his home
Sinister: Rooney was home when a mob of United fans turned up at his front gate
Wayne Rooney faced an angry mob outside his home last night as enraged Manchester United fans reacted to the possibility of their star striker making a sensational move to arch-rivals Manchester City.
Rooney felt the full force of the anger among supporters over his desire to leave Old Trafford when a group of 40 protesters turned up outside his £4.5million mansion in the upmarket Cheshire village of Prestbury.
Cheshire police confirmed that a group of men, some in balaclavas and hooded tops, gathered outside the house late in the evening. A banner bearing the words 'Join City & Die' was unfurled.
The group were soon dispersed by police but Rooney is believed to have witnessed the commotion from an upstairs window, with his wife Coleen and baby son Kai also believed to have been inside the house.
Hate figure: The Old Trafford faithful have turned on their former idol
Guard: An officer patrols outside Rooney's house
A police spokesman said: 'At 8.30pm, a call was received from a resident in Prestbury regarding 20 to 30 people assembling outside their address. Police attended the scene and the group dispersed peacefully.'
The shocking scenes on his own doorstep come after an eventful week in which Rooney's relationship with his club reached breaking point following his demand for a transfer over concerns at United's ability to challenge for trophies and attract the world's top players.
On Wednesday afternoon Rooney attempted to appease fans by releasing a statement putting his side of the story across and suggesting that he had been backed into a corner after not receiving assurances from chief executive David Gill over the club's ambitions.
However, the PR exercise backfired, with team-mates, former United stars and supporters lining up to criticise the 24-year-old.
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Originally posted by Pitot:
Bye,
Bye,
Bye,
BYE BYE!!!
No one is bigger than the club looney, no one.
I rated ronney the worst player among the players. -
Rooney?
"once a blue, always a blue" ?
he's one of those idiots playing football who, if not for football, he'd be in prison... people like Roy Keane, Pennant...
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'join city and die'. so its now up to chelsea and Real. but then i still believe he will prefer to stay in england.
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Originally posted by dragg:
‘join city and die’.
so its not up to chelsea and Real.
but then i still believe he will prefer to stay in england.
didn't he insist on being paid more than Ronaldo in RM?
idiot's burning bridges before they're even built!!
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to be blunt, Rooney doesn't come across as very bright to me.. maybe on a football field but PR, he sucks.
so all thes thrash we are all reading is from his agent/representive that is angling for a big christmas present..
so let's be patient and see how this goes.