The dark clouds that had been forming over Manchester or more specifically Old Trafford for the past few weeks have finally brought their down pour and what a torrent it was...
Sir Alex Ferguson sat at the arranged press conference looking as gloomy and glum as any grey weather and announced that their star player, talisman and biggest asset Wayne Rooney would not be signing a new contract and wanted away from the club that have “harboured” him since they prised the young genius from Everton for £27M back in the summer of 2004.
I'm sure for most on hearing the news it must have felt as if the heavens had crumbled down upon them. Rooney had decided he no longer wished to burden the skies of Manchester on his shoulders, swapping them for a suitcase and plane ticket instead.
For me it was only a minor tremor to be felt as for a few weeks I had been musing and pondering about Wayne Rooney, his dalliances with prostitutes, alarming lack of form, angry rants at England supporters and a face that has lost its' twinkle of happiness.. To me he had the look of someone who no longer enjoyed their job or certainly where they were working.
With the media almost constantly filling their back pages with Rooney splattered stories, accusations and hideous puns he had the look of a tired old beach donkey, once enthralled to be out on the open sands but now bitter and sad from the constant thrashing across the hind legs.
Where I think his desire to leave Manchester Utd lies is not in bewildering betrayal as Sir Alex seemed to hint at or indeed a fatter pay cheque, as is being scattered about the red tops but in the fact that he cannot face the gruesome reality of modern day English football stardom and all the pitfalls and traps, sneers and jibes that come with media reporting these days.
Yes one could say “get on with it” or “mend your ways son” and maybe even “you've got loads of money. This is how it is. Tough.” But indeed he is only a human being and a very young one at that.
It's easy to forget that he is only 24, having lit up our pitches and screens for what seems like forever and no matter how much money, adoration or even guidance he may have received so far, mistakes and bad decisions infect even the greatest. George Best springs to mind, as does Bill Clinton!
Just like Clinton he no doubt feels himself to be hounded out by today’s' salacious media and seeks away from his current doom.
Wayne Rooney I'm sure wishes to escape the English medias' fixation on him, for it is bound to get more and more intense as time goes on- what with a possible divorce from Colleen sure to never leave either the front or back pages for quite some time.
Include the endless speculation about where he still might go to play football in this country or abroad and things won't be plain sailing in the near future. The fans backlash if had chosen another certain Premiership club (or clubs) would have seen a very sour end to his tenure at Manchester United.
Rooney’s' horizon needn't look so horrible for I think there is a future path he can still walk down which can lead him once again to the end of the rainbow.
Jose Mourinho made an intriguing and astute statement about Rooney in that he claimed Wayne would probably stay with Utd as it is in his heart. That got my brain racing and my fingers aching to type.
I think Mourihno was being very clever, almost casting a spell for the future and what an interesting one it could be.
Bringing Rooney to the Bernabeu would be a major coup for Mourinho (and Spanish football) and could serve up the perfect remedy for Wayne’s' pain. The 'Special One' would be the ideal man to take on Rooney, (we know of his ability to man manage and protect his players, none in football are quite as good as he), to reunite him with his goal scoring fellow genius Ronaldo and rebuild the confidence and love that football gives the young Scouser.
The press, as David Beckham would testify are a lot less intrusive in Spain where the fans have control over their own emotions and partisan chanting.
Here Rooney and Ronaldo could recreate their devastating partnership, feeding each other goals and glory while collecting with glee the medals, trophies and idolatry that would likely follow.
This may upset some of Manchester and beyond but he'd also be playing with better players, allowing himself to heel, learn and grow into the worlds best striker that we know he is capable of morphing into.
Sir Alex Ferguson won't be at the helm of Old Trafford for too much longer one feels and who is the man touted as a possible replacement? Yep, Jose Mourinho of course. And why not.
With him he could bring back Rooney to his beloved Utd and reunite him with the fans and media who have missed him so since he'd been gone- although they may not welcome him with open arms initially. Here Rooney would be at the apex of his genius, regenerated and ready for England once again with all those troubles and headlines a mere distant memory, a blackish haze of a bad dream he once had.
Of course, the shocking about-turn by Rooney in having now signed a new contract until 2015 leaves more questions than answers. Is he still biding his time for another 'dream' move, was it actually to do with squad reassurances or even manipulating a bigger wage? Maybe he too thinks that Mourinho's future lies at Utd- so why move!
Either way Rooney could face suspicion from the Old Trafford faithful for the foreseeable. His commitment could understandably be called into question, although there is little doubt about his passion for the cause- let's wait and see for this is football and anything can happen.