Wayne Rooney is a Manchester United great - so why is he not more loved?

Doh.
 
To me, what he is doing right now is irrelavant. Yes, it would be great if he was firing right now, but this thread is about why he is not loved as a great, and what he has done for the club in the past should be remembered more rather than one season that we're not even half way through yet. I mean, apart from this season so far, he has always given us very good numbers, despite not always being consistent throughout.



Also disagree about him not being a player to lead us to a title. Yes, Rooney has never been scored bags of goals that has led us to a title like RVP, RVN, etc, but he was/is our tallyman - a player who everyone needs in their team. Someone who was willing to do the dirty work, allowing the RVP's and RVN's of this world to shine. Ibra spoke about Rooney's unselfish play the other day. He said, "He runs a lot, he fights a lot, he sacrifices a lot. When he played with Cristiano Ronaldo all the work was done by Wayne Rooney but he didn't get the credit because Ronaldo was scoring all of the goals".

Past is a recollection of events and performance.

He will be assessed when he hang his boots, and this last few years averaging 5 or 6 will still goes to the average.

He cant be producing 98778544 each season and we still remember the 9 alone
 
He flirted with City, then held the club hostage to an outrageous wage demand and then after winning the new wage contract has played poorly ever since.

What's not to love?

Yes, Rooney is a United legend but it's been three seasons since he's done anything of note to lead the club on the pitch and his rapid decline has come much earlier than that of other top footballers. He can still turn his career around but he has to be less selfish and commit himself to restoring his fitness. We shall see whether he does so.
 
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”When he leads the side out the following day against City at Old Trafford for the 170th Manchester derby Rooney’s count will stand at 187. That is 11 more goals than Alan Shearer’s 176 at the same age, 13 more than Thierry Henry’s 174 and 35 more than the 152 scored by Robbie Fowler, the fourth man on the goals-at-30 list.

The number of strikes created by Rooney shows the team man he is so proud to embody. He has nearly double the assists of those made by Shearer at the same age: 90 to the latter’s 46. Henry created 74, 16 fewer than Rooney. Andrew Cole – whose 136 finishes places him sixth on the at-30 list – is next behind Henry with 49.”

Nuff said.
that's great, nobody doubts what he has done in the past. did those players stay in the side when they were looking a detriment to the team?
 
”When he leads the side out the following day against City at Old Trafford for the 170th Manchester derby Rooney’s count will stand at 187. That is 11 more goals than Alan Shearer’s 176 at the same age, 13 more than Thierry Henry’s 174 and 35 more than the 152 scored by Robbie Fowler, the fourth man on the goals-at-30 list.

The number of strikes created by Rooney shows the team man he is so proud to embody. He has nearly double the assists of those made by Shearer at the same age: 90 to the latter’s 46. Henry created 74, 16 fewer than Rooney. Andrew Cole – whose 136 finishes places him sixth on the at-30 list – is next behind Henry with 49.”

Nuff said.

Those stats from that Jamie Jackson article have been completely discredited. Lies, dammed lies and statistics.......

http://www.football365.com/news/mediawatch-rooney-henry-shearer-messi
 
”When he leads the side out the following day against City at Old Trafford for the 170th Manchester derby Rooney’s count will stand at 187. That is 11 more goals than Alan Shearer’s 176 at the same age, 13 more than Thierry Henry’s 174 and 35 more than the 152 scored by Robbie Fowler, the fourth man on the goals-at-30 list.

The number of strikes created by Rooney shows the team man he is so proud to embody. He has nearly double the assists of those made by Shearer at the same age: 90 to the latter’s 46. Henry created 74, 16 fewer than Rooney. Andrew Cole – whose 136 finishes places him sixth on the at-30 list – is next behind Henry with 49.”

Nuff said.

"By the same age" is such a nonsense justification since footballers all develop at different rates. Rooney was playing in the premier league regularly at 16, Alan Shearer didn't get a proper season until he was 20 and even then it was only 26 games. Henry didn't even join Arsenal until he was 22 and Robbie fowler was playing for a mid table Man City team by his late twenties.

Rooney's had a great career but the fact is he's finished and the fans are frustrated watching us carry him every week.
 
I long for the day I hear breaking news that "Wayne Rooney has left Man Utd".

I imagine the elation felt upon hearing such news would be the joyous equal and opposite to hearing similarly massive and shocking news such as Roy Keane leaving, Cantona retiring, Ronaldo being sold.

His stats show him as a legend.
His YouTube clips show what a raw unbelievable talent he was.
But alas, his complete lack of moral compass will ultimately always shine through for me & laid bare will remain the fact that I love Utd more than he ever did.
He showed no loyalty to Utd, only to the £££. I don't know why Utd are showing such blind faith in him now. Fergie would have had him gone three years ago & what good business that would have been given his free fall in form ever since.

Also the rest is an ugly history; Moyes, new contract, petulant Rooney, Van Gall, bad captaincy, 'undroppable' ball and chain, toxic deadweight.

Yes, a legend... But the cold reality for me I that if Wayne Rooney carried me over his shoulder from a burning building... After coughing out the last smokey clouds from my lungs and pulling myself together, I would ultimately be dissappointed that it wasn't Ronaldo, Keane, Giggs, Scholes, Robson, Best, Law, Charlton, Neville, Butt, Schmeichal, De Gea, Bruce, Sparky, Cole..... <continue to fade!>
 
Rooney is just an overpaid employee, I have no emotional attachment to him at all post 2010.

Ditto, it's his own actions that have tarnished his attachment with the fans. He was never particularly likeable in the first place.

He's a player to be tolerated as long as he delivers and he's not done that for a while.
 
He's the reason I signed up to this forum. I'm sure October 2010 was a record in terms of new members. I don't get overly emotional about footballers because they are almost always going to look after number one. He doesn't really deserve our love, for want of a better word, because he's shown that it doesn't matter to him as much as his wages. He's been a fantastic player for us and deserves to be spoken of highly. It's just that he won't be spoken about affectionately.
 
I like him.
But to be fair you would still like him if he broke into your house on Christmas Day, shit on your kids dinner, set fire to their presents and took your nan upstairs for a little Christmas message of her own.
Just like I'll still dislike him if he builds a luxury orphanage with his own two hands and spends every penny of his fortune helping the homeless and buying food for stray kittens, really it's the people inbetween our equally extreme positions who can really answer the question in the op
 
I think it's more what I quoted from that commenter on the telegraph article, most notably, that Rooney's association with us is purely business. That's it in a nutshell. I was quite shocked that a journalist admitted this tbh.

None of us begrudges someone looking after their own interests, but for fans, we have an emotional tie to the clubs we support. It's therefore difficult to have affection for someone who doesn't see it the same way as we do. Furthermore, the way he's gone about things has further deteriorated any tolerance we had for him in the 'affection' stakes.

Now, it's gotten worse because on top of him treating us like a business associate, he's now not delivering his end of the bargain, yet he's still getting all the privileges. That just does not sit right with some of us (me included). It's therefore hard to have any affection when you take in all of the circumstances.

His best bet is to make a move to Everton at the end of the season. If he stays longer here for the money and what not - he will totally lose all respect from the fans - and Everton will be very reluctant to take on a deteriorating Rooney even if plays for them for free imo.
 
It's possible Ronaldo's leaving had a baleful influence on Rooney's ego. He was now top dog, firm leader. It masculinated him at a cellular level. What was the first thing he did after Ronaldo left, remember? He greased Colleen (hard), two inseminations of such thoroughgoing plenty that she dropped two kids. Stuff like this goes to a man's head. Since then, as anyone with kids will know, all his love has been expended on his children. There's less of Wayne available for us. Hence, he isn't the lovable urchin thug we signed.
 
But to be fair you would still like him if he broke into your house on Christmas Day, shit on your kids dinner, set fire to their presents and took your nan upstairs for a little Christmas message of her own.
Just like I'll still dislike him if he builds a luxury orphanage with his own two hands and spends every penny of his fortune helping the homeless and buying food for stray kittens, really it's the people inbetween our equally extreme positions who can really answer the question in the op

Why do you dislike him?
 
Why do you dislike him?
No rational reasons, I've never liked him since at Everton, 1: he's. A scouser
2: as much as it shouldn't bother me, his off field activities, I've got no time for the sort of bloke that cheats on his pregnant wife.
3: that look on saf face when he did the press conference when he first wanted to leave.
4: I just don't like him, never have never will, I can recognise what a great player he has been for is and congratulate him on all he has archived, I'll celebrate when he does well for the team but I just can't bring myself to like the bloke.
 
I think it's more what I quoted from that commenter on the telegraph article, most notably, that Rooney's association with us is purely business. That's it in a nutshell. I was quite shocked that a journalist admitted this tbh.

None of us begrudges someone looking after their own interests, but for fans, we have an emotional tie to the clubs we support. It's therefore difficult to have affection for someone who doesn't see it the same way as we do. Furthermore, the way he's gone about things has further deteriorated any tolerance we had for him in the 'affection' stakes.

Now, it's gotten worse because on top of him treating us like a business associate, he's now not delivering his end of the bargain, yet he's still getting all the privileges. That just does not sit right with some of us (me included). It's therefore hard to have any affection when you take in all of the circumstances.

His best bet is to make a move to Everton at the end of the season. If he stays longer here for the money and what not - he will totally lose all respect from the fans - and Everton will be very reluctant to take on a deteriorating Rooney even if plays for them for free imo.

This is exactly the same reason why I really cant stand Rooney now, even more so that he`ll be the worst player on the pitch, give the ball away countless times, create nothing and yet will never be subbed
 
I think the main reason for dislike is the contract issues in the past. He was pretty well loved before that.

More recently the issue is he hasn't been in form for what seems like years. The main issue from this is he is still played constantly and the manager refuses to drop him (which isn't really his fault I suppose)
 
No rational reasons, I've never liked him since at Everton, 1: he's. A scouser
2: as much as it shouldn't bother me, his off field activities, I've got no time for the sort of bloke that cheats on his pregnant wife.
3: that look on saf face when he did the press conference when he first wanted to leave.
4: I just don't like him, never have never will, I can recognise what a great player he has been for is and congratulate him on all he has archived, I'll celebrate when he does well for the team but I just can't bring myself to like the bloke.

Fair enough
 
No rational reasons, I've never liked him since at Everton, 1: he's. A scouser
2: as much as it shouldn't bother me, his off field activities, I've got no time for the sort of bloke that cheats on his pregnant wife.
3: that look on saf face when he did the press conference when he first wanted to leave.
4: I just don't like him, never have never will, I can recognise what a great player he has been for is and congratulate him on all he has archived, I'll celebrate when he does well for the team but I just can't bring myself to like the bloke.
Basically this. I think you can as well add to that list the fact that he's been rubbish these days hindering our progress earning millions. What's to like?
 
Unfortunately Rooney's last few years and particularly the current one will leave a lasting impression which will stop many (like me) who were his big fans before, to stop liking him by the time he retires.
 
No rational reasons, I've never liked him since at Everton, 1: he's. A scouser
2: as much as it shouldn't bother me, his off field activities, I've got no time for the sort of bloke that cheats on his pregnant wife.
3: that look on saf face when he did the press conference when he first wanted to leave.
4: I just don't like him, never have never will, I can recognise what a great player he has been for is and congratulate him on all he has archived, I'll celebrate when he does well for the team but I just can't bring myself to like the bloke.

I love the player, but I agree with what you wrote here, the man isn't very likeable.
 
I dont think he is being helped. A spell on the bench would show people if a) we miss him and b) he isnt undroppable ... fans would then want to see him back on the pitch gives him the opportunity to come on fresh against a more tired opposition which may be good for him also.

I still see him as one of the biggest and players we've had here, in his first 4 yrs he was phenomenal maybe some of that hope and fact he never grew into what he could have been due to his unselfishness in terms of playing anywhere on the pitch that suited the team.
 
LVG made the comments about his captain always playing in September last year. Bet he didn't think Rooney will be this shite.
 
Going back to the debate on Page 5, didn't Ozil cover close to the highest distance for Arsenal last season? It means feck all with regards to effort. Rooney might be jogging around a lot, but a casual viewing of the match can see a lot of his running counts for nothing. His pressing, for example, is probably the worst in our team.
 
Flirting with City...a major European team could be accepted but...City :rolleyes:
Putting out stories on him leaving in order to get a bumper contract increase
Offering very little while being on a massive contract (thats more the board fault)
 
1) Wayne Rooney has never demonstrated that he even remotely loves this club.

2) Wayne Rooney fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson twice, insulted his ambition and unlike other players who fell out with Fergie, Rooney was clearly in the wrong.

3) Wayne Rooney has flirted with leaving to Manchester City.

4) When justifiably dropped, instead of fighting for his spot he asked to be sold and was "angry and confused".

5) He has been completely past it for a few years now and takes the spot from other players.

6) His peak came shortly after the greatest period in our recent history, a time within which he was overshadowed by Ronaldo and a fantastic defense.

7) After the first and only season where he reached his full potential he started getting all dramatic and using off field issues to ruin the spirit of the team and his own good form.

8) There is a strange reluctance from the media and LvG to properly criticize his recent lack of form.

9) He bottom level as a player is way too low, compared to other legends such as Scholes, Rooney can be unbelievably shit.
 
1) Wayne Rooney has never demonstrated that he even remotely loves this club.

2) Wayne Rooney fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson twice, insulted his ambition and unlike other players who fell out with Fergie, Rooney was clearly in the wrong.

3) Wayne Rooney has flirted with leaving to Manchester City.

4) When justifiably dropped, instead of fighting for his spot he asked to be sold and was "angry and confused".

5) He has been completely past it for a few years now and takes the spot from other players.

6) His peak came shortly after the greatest period in our recent history, a time within which he was overshadowed by Ronaldo and a fantastic defense.

7) After the first and only season where he reached his full potential he started getting all dramatic and using off field issues to ruin the spirit of the team and his own good form.

8) There is a strange reluctance from the media and LvG to properly criticize his recent lack of form.

9) He bottom level as a player is way too low, compared to other legends such as Scholes, Rooney can be unbelievably shit.

This is the main issue. When other top players(he isn't anymore) have bad days, you still get some level of football you can work with. Their touch is still decent, they don't give the ball away, you can still trust their movement. With this guy, he drops to championship level.
 
The main issue with Rooney IMO is the complacency he is showing, which comes from the fact that he is untouchable.
At the moment, he knows that no matter how bad he plays (very bad so far this season) he will be picked again the following week as captain. So at the age of 30 as a multi-millionaire with a nice family, having won virtually everything there is to win at club level, what's his motivation to perform every week? Now us lot on here can answer that quite simply, he's getting paid £300K a week and is, I'm sure, still a very good footballer. But it's not getting through to Rooney, or LvG and that's where I lay the blame. A couple of games out of the side will hurt his pride and that's exactly what this situation needs - Rooney to be shown that Manchester United are bigger and if his performances aren't up to scratch, he's out of the side. City and Arsenal are looking very good this season and if we still want to be in the Title race after Christmas, we cannot keep carrying this guy, sometimes it's like playing with 10 men it's getting embarrassing to watch.
 
1) Wayne Rooney has never demonstrated that he even remotely loves this club.

2) Wayne Rooney fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson twice, insulted his ambition and unlike other players who fell out with Fergie, Rooney was clearly in the wrong.

3) Wayne Rooney has flirted with leaving to Manchester City.

4) When justifiably dropped, instead of fighting for his spot he asked to be sold and was "angry and confused".

5) He has been completely past it for a few years now and takes the spot from other players.

6) His peak came shortly after the greatest period in our recent history, a time within which he was overshadowed by Ronaldo and a fantastic defense.

7) After the first and only season where he reached his full potential he started getting all dramatic and using off field issues to ruin the spirit of the team and his own good form.

8) There is a strange reluctance from the media and LvG to properly criticize his recent lack of form.

9) He bottom level as a player is way too low, compared to other legends such as Scholes, Rooney can be unbelievably shit.
Nailed it
 
1) Wayne Rooney has never demonstrated that he even remotely loves this club.

2) Wayne Rooney fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson twice, insulted his ambition and unlike other players who fell out with Fergie, Rooney was clearly in the wrong.

3) Wayne Rooney has flirted with leaving to Manchester City.

4) When justifiably dropped, instead of fighting for his spot he asked to be sold and was "angry and confused".

5) He has been completely past it for a few years now and takes the spot from other players.

6) His peak came shortly after the greatest period in our recent history, a time within which he was overshadowed by Ronaldo and a fantastic defense.

7) After the first and only season where he reached his full potential he started getting all dramatic and using off field issues to ruin the spirit of the team and his own good form.

8) There is a strange reluctance from the media and LvG to properly criticize his recent lack of form.

9) He bottom level as a player is way too low, compared to other legends such as Scholes, Rooney can be unbelievably shit.


Amazing post. Sums mine and many others feelings about him perfectly.
 
I long for the day I hear breaking news that "Wayne Rooney has left Man Utd".

I imagine the elation felt upon hearing such news would be the joyous equal and opposite to hearing similarly massive and shocking news such as Roy Keane leaving, Cantona retiring, Ronaldo being sold.

His stats show him as a legend.
His YouTube clips show what a raw unbelievable talent he was.
But alas, his complete lack of moral compass will ultimately always shine through for me & laid bare will remain the fact that I love Utd more than he ever did.
He showed no loyalty to Utd, only to the £££. I don't know why Utd are showing such blind faith in him now. Fergie would have had him gone three years ago & what good business that would have been given his free fall in form ever since.

Also the rest is an ugly history; Moyes, new contract, petulant Rooney, Van Gall, bad captaincy, 'undroppable' ball and chain, toxic deadweight.

Yes, a legend... But the cold reality for me I that if Wayne Rooney carried me over his shoulder from a burning building... After coughing out the last smokey clouds from my lungs and pulling myself together, I would ultimately be dissappointed that it wasn't Ronaldo, Keane, Giggs, Scholes, Robson, Best, Law, Charlton, Neville, Butt, Schmeichal, De Gea, Bruce, Sparky, Cole..... <continue to fade!>

This type of melodrama belongs on RAWK.

Ronaldo and Rooney belong to the same camp, both great players for the clubs but they were both mercenaries of the highest order.
 
He is loved - when he's performing. And when he's trying. He just doesn't seem to be making an effort at the moment. I can give poor form - can't forgive half-hearted attempts at trying.

I may be old-fashioned but I thought strikers were supposed to occasionally get themselves withing striking distance.
 
He is loved - when he's performing. And when he's trying. He just doesn't seem to be making an effort at the moment. I can give poor form - can't forgive half-hearted attempts at trying.

I may be old-fashioned but I thought strikers were supposed to occasionally get themselves withing striking distance.

In fairness I think Rooney has been trying the last few games, certainly against Arsenal and City you couldn't fault his determination, his body is failing him and he just has the expression of a guy knowing he's struggling, badly, and doesn't know anymore how to overcome it.

Personally I'm of the belief he's only ever had 1 world-WORLD(!) class season, the year after Ronny left.
 
In fairness I think Rooney has been trying the last few games, certainly against Arsenal and City you couldn't fault his determination, his body is failing him and he just has the expression of a guy knowing he's struggling, badly, and doesn't know anymore how to overcome it.

Personally I'm of the belief he's only ever had 1 world-WORLD(!) class season, the year after Ronny left.

At one point in Sunday's game I watched him stand virtually still when a ball was lobbed in to the penalty box - he was way outside of it. Did he just freeze? It's ridiculous to keep playing him when he's in such poor form, when other players don't get a second chance, let alone limitless ones. LVG isn't doing him any favours because people are resenting what seems to be preferential treatment.
 
At one point in Sunday's game I watched him stand virtually still when a ball was lobbed in to the penalty box - he was way outside of it. Did he just freeze? It's ridiculous to keep playing him when he's in such poor form, when other players don't get a second chance, let alone limitless ones. LVG isn't doing him any favours because people are resenting what seems to be preferential treatment.
This for sure. Rooney needs to be told the truth right now about his form. I can see him still expecting to start every game irrespective of the fact that it's hurting the team and keeping one of his team mates on the bench. A lot of people defend Rooney but he to me is essentially very selfish, and concerned about his image. It won't hurt him if we win nothing as long as he gets all he wants. I can't believe LVG doesn't see this, and how damaging it is to the team. The non-British members of the dressing room will certainly not be appreciating this, no matter how they feel about Rooney personally.
Also, the more LVG puts him out there whilst his form is shite, the more damaging it is going to be to Rooney himself and that precious 'image' he so covets.