This past summer seemed to hold nothing but uncertainty for Man United’s Wayne Rooney. Now, just months later, Wayne Rooney is back lighting up the Premier League and doing so for United. Overused cliché alert: It is a funny old game. (Incidentally it’s also a game of two halves – for anyone counting)
As Sir Alex Ferguson’s much talked about autobiography mentioned, Wayne Rooney had strongly hinted his desire to leave United in the summer. Wayne stopped short of handing in a formal transfer request but his preference to leave was clear to those at the club. As Sir Alex pointed out in that same book, this was no longer his problem. No, this was an issue for the incoming Manchester United manager to contend with. As that man was David Moyes, the writing seemed to be on the wall.
A few years before his arrival at United Moyes had actually sued Rooney and the publishers of Rooney’s autobiography. A libel lawsuit for comments Rooney had made about Moyes in the book. It was alleged by Rooney that Moyes had leaked to the press a conversation that the two of them had where Rooney stated his desire to leave Everton. Moyes strongly denied the act and sued Rooney as a result. Whether Moyes was the right man to lead United or not was still to be determined, but it seemed certain that he was not the man to keep Rooney at Old Trafford.
Then, everything went quiet. For once the press speculation seemed to cease and Rooney’s departure from United started to look doubtful. And now, Rooney seems to have re-established himself as the main man at United. And, what’s more, he is producing his best form as a result.
That seems to be the key for Rooney. Many have suggested that the England striker plays his best football when he is the focal point of the team. Last season, with Robin van Persie very much leading the line, Rooney had to play second fiddle. And it probably didn’t suit him. This season, with RVP struggling for fitness at times and not showing his best form, Rooney has had to take the reins and has been hugely impressive despite United stumbling through the Premier League season up to this point.
A lot may be made of others who have had scintillating starts to the season such as Ramsey, Agüero and Suárez (and rightfully so) but Rooney has been as good as anyone. And in the build up to a World Cup we all have a reason to be pretty pleased with his form. Because if there is any credence to this idea that Rooney needs to be seen as the main man in order to show his best football, then surely he is tailor made for a team devoid of world class players- like England.
England do need Wayne Rooney to be at their best. He gets taken for granted as an England player but rest assured he is the main man. It has been a long time since he showed his best form for England as we all know. But then it had also been a fairly long time since he showed his best form for Man United as well and he seems to be putting that right now.
The harsh reality is that to do well in a world cup or even (whisper it) WIN a world cup, England need a lot more than just Wayne Rooney. But I’d take an in-form Wayne Rooney over the one who has turned up to the last few summer tournaments. He’s not a one man team, but he’s better than nothing.
The same really goes for Manchester United. Their sub-par performances so far this season have shown how far you get with a one man team. It will take more than Wayne Rooney for Man United to do well in the Premier League or even (do I dare say it?) WIN it. But regardless of how United are doing in the league I am sure David Moyes and their fans are more than a little thankful for how well Rooney has done for them so far this season.
Rooney is out of contract in less than two years’ time and cynics will say that he is now playing for a new one. Maybe, time will tell. But maybe there is already enough cynicism in football. Maybe this is just a great player who is rediscovering his best form just as his club and his country need him most.