In 2002, a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney shot to super stardom as the most exciting teenage footballing talent the world had seen since Pele.
Labelled the complete footballer by pundits, fans, and praised by all professionals, he was set to become a truly world class player.
But, six years later, is he really developing into the player everyone expected him to be?
For a striker, Rooney is of a rare kind, and this is were the problem lies. His work rate and contribution to the team as a whole is always likely to exceed his goalscoring rate.
His footballing ability, astute reading of the game, movement off the ball, and natural skill are arguably unmatched by most his age in top tier football today, yet many still appear to be skeptical of Rooney's development.
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Recently he has been accused of over working, over thinking, and finding it difficult to adapt to playing as a natural front man. Apparently, this can be proved—if any clarification was needed—by his evident frustration on the pitch.
I beg to differ, but he certainly isn't the prolific center forward that Ruud van Nistelrooy was, and Sir Alex Ferguson's pursuit of another temperamental but effective striker in the form of Dimitar Berbatov may be evidence enough that there is something lacking upfront for Manchester United.
Which leads me onto my next point.
It can be argued that skeptics are judging the forward on his goal scoring rate rather than his overall contribution to the team and fair enough—after all he is a forward.
But the man himself will be the first to admit that his game is about not only playing upfront, but getting involved elsewhere on the pitch just as much.
At only 22 years of age, Rooney has a long way to go in his career and he has statistically improved every season. Even when he doesn't score his contribution is sound, so why do question marks continue to appear about his progression?
Will he get better or has he reached his peak already? Will the Rooney we watch today be the same or better in six years time? Or is it all mess and is Rooney still getting better?
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2 months ago
Rooney has lost his confidence and touch compared to how he was a couple of years ago. I think fergie statements about sacrificing him and playing out of position recently are just trying to move attention away from rooneys dip in form.His still a top player when he's playing bad but when he gets back into his stride he'll be one of the best in the world.
2 months ago
Yeah I agree with both of you. Players get more consistent and improve with age and Rooney will continue to do the same.
2 months ago
Nope... he ain't getting better yet...
from 2 months ago
His stats show he's getting better every season. Maybe you climbed the bandwagon of those judging him on how many goals he scores every game.
2 months ago
i agree with anthony, i feel rooney is haveing a downer at the moment but it wont be too long before he comes back into some form.
For me he needs to play for england as many times as he can because it gets his confidence up when playing for the team.
i bet if rooney has a good run of results in the england team he will play better for united.
2 months ago
Wayne Rooney is basically Michael Owen peaked too young. I don't see him ever improving he's overrated anyways.
2 months ago
I partly agree with John above, I think Rooney was more influential when he was 17 than he is now, he may have improved his goal record year on year (until last season), but in my opinion that is purely coincidence, as he has been playing for an improving team each year who create more chances.
Maybe defenders know how to deal with Rooney better than they did, (the same goes for Michael Owen), and so his performance has dropped as a result of better defending.
Whether Rooney has got worse is debatable, but I think its very difficult to argue that he has got better with age, and I see little hope that he will be any better at 28 than he is now.
I don't think he is ever going to be the player that we thought he might be when he burst on to the scene, comparisons with Pele become more laughable by the week.
2 months ago
Yeah I agree Simon, remember he was ripping teams apart in the European championship was amazing.I think Rooney should be loaned out to a Spanish or Italian team for a year more space, time on the ball might be suited to his game play and give him confidence he needs.
2 months ago
Two Premiership winners medals along with a Champions League one isn’t bad for a 22 year old. Yes, he’s playing in a good team, but if he wasn’t good enough he wouldn’t be and he does contribute a lot to this team.
He’s not as explosive a player as he was in 2004 but his game has matured (unlike his personality…) and he is adept at playing in wide attacking positions, especially away from home in Europe. His goals-to-game ratio has improved year on year I think but he does need to work on his finishing that’s for sure.
He was never going to be the next Pele, again the English media bandwagon was in full flow here in terms of over-hype so to judge him against such unfair comparisons would be unfortunate.
At the moment he’s a very good player playing in a very good team, whether he and his team can make that huge step up to greatest will depend on his and his team’s continued success. And it would help if re-found his feet at international level too, a goal and performance to match in Zagreb next week wouldn’t go amiss!!
2 months ago
I agree with John and Simon. He's a player who got early attention, something which is sometimes dangerous for a young man's career (some might get arrogant and stop working hard)..
I think Rooney is a very good player, but he is yet to be the world-class player Fergie signed him to be.
Great job Ricky :)
from 2 months ago
if rooney's english doesnt that mean he is already arrogant, zahi? ;-)
2 months ago
Hes not a striker, never has been never will be, hes more like scholes, may not score a hatfull every season but the ammount he creates for others shows his class,people think hes a striker and should be scoring goals that means his real talent goes largely unnoticed, you only have to watch him off the ball, the positions he gets in and his ability to create for others to see he is class, as to if he is improving, who cares!, every reasonable youngster in England get labeled as the next almighty, he's no Pele but he's definately the next Rooney.
from 2 months ago
Rooney is a striker. Nobody is denying he hasn't got the qualities you've pointed out but he needs to learn how to play as a center forward even though he would be effective in other positions.
2 months ago
I am wayne rooney's biggest fan... his work-rate and enegy and wilingess to put in some hard graft is one of the main reasons for ronaldo's incredible goalscoring record over the past 2 seasons! his work is unselfish, pulling defenders out of position nevergiving them a moments peace over 90 mins.
In my opinion he is man utd's most important player!
from 2 months ago
agree with you 100% Jon he is invaluable to the squad whether he's scoring or not and It would be nice if more people recognized his immense contribution.
2 months ago
Rooney is not a stranger to having dips in his form, but what matters is once he finds his goal-scoring touch, he is almost unstoppable. Just wait for him to hit top form. The season is still early, give him time. He's only going to get better as the season, and his career, goes on.
2 months ago
I would rate Rooney much more than Rudd or even ronaldo for that matter...he is just gifted with the ability to create chances... remember football is a team game...and played by 11 guys... just imagine everyone thinks that he need to sore in every game he plays??? no one will be football then i guess... now about the goalscoring part abt Rooney... may be no one is as good as Rooney in the team who can once be a provider so that Rooney could score... Rooney is the best.... and I would like someone to find out how many assists were from Rooney of the 42 goals that Ronaldo scored last season...I wuld be surprised to see anythimg less than 30.
2 months ago
I don't think Rooney is a 'striker', more of a 'forward' and comparing him with players such as Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Shevchenko et al doesn't really make a lot of sense. I've always seen Rooney a smore of a creator than a finisher, someone who loves to take on defenders and draw them out of position allowing for the striker to come in and finish the attack. With the signing of Berbatov i think Rooney will be able to show the form we all rememer from a couple of years back, as it will allow him bit more space which will present him with more creative freedom.
We must also remember that Cristiano Ronaldo has flourished over the past couple of years and has stolen a lot of Rooney's limelight, and has forced Rooney to play in a different way as a result. In a way Rooney is a victim of his own versatility, much like Gerrard or Kuyt at Liverpool, in that he has the talent and adaptbility to be able to play many positions meaning he is often fit into the lineup at the last minute to cover for other players, rather then being the first player on the team sheet; despite his ability.
2 months ago
he is a good forward in the old style. Hustles for the team, makes intelligent runs and passes and works like a dog for his team-mates. He also chips in with important (at Chelsea last season) and often spectacular goals ( away V Russia for England, the classic V Newcastle a couple of seasons back). As is often the case pundits are just doing part of their job in trying to move copy and so they say things like this to hook readers in. I believe the guy will go on to even greater things, because he is quite right to say he has participated in something great already with last seasons result.
Nice article mate.
2 months ago
I think we might see a better Rooney now that he is getting the chance to play off Berba, a more favoured postion of playing off your classic target man.
2 months ago
he will get better..he's been hit hard by injuries..that and a bit of an attitude problem (which has been fixed now) has cost him..
from 2 months ago
Fergie has done a really good job with him it's got to be mentioned, If he stays clear of his injuries he will continue to grow i think.
2 months ago
to be fair he got 13 assists last season, which in addition to 18goals i pretty decent.
from 2 months ago
I'd just let him do what he does, it helps the team, and 'if it aint broke, don't fix it'
2 months ago
rooney is the man
2 months ago
Rooney plays at a breakneck maniac speed, which isn't always good. Greatly increases his chance for injury and it seems like he's always a tackle away from a red card.
Hopefully he and Berbatov will develop a solid partnership quickly and start filling the nets. Ronaldo will then find more open space to do his voodoo.
2 months ago
Ronaldo and his voodoo! well put!
about 1 month ago
ronney is a class act, he's only going to get better!
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