The Problem with Wayne Rooney

United wish to offload him yet unfortunately they can't find a suitor, why?

David Moyes has an inevitable headache and we all knew it would happen. The problem is Wayne Rooney and it promises to be one which may become very destructive to the start of new managers career at Old Trafford. This is an issue which Ferguson has left for Moyes to deal with, yet one which I am sure he was clear about, Wayne is no longer suited to playing for United. Perhaps United could have sold him already had there been suitors for him, and the question which The Whitehouse Address poses is why does no-one want Wayne Rooney?

When Moyes was announced as the man to replace Ferguson it was clear that his first and most important task was to deal with the Rooney situation. This blog believed it was best for all parties for Rooney to leave theclub; nine years ‘service’ does not mean that loyalty or thanks should cloud the judgement of the club and it was clear that the relationship between United and Rooney was broken. Ferguson's reign continued for so long and was so successful because he knew when a player must leave the club and when there was a problem which needed addressing.

Evidently Rooney has become a serious problem for United, a problem which Ferguson tolerated at first yet which last season (after bringing in a player with more talent in Van Persie) put Rooney behind in the pecking order. Whether Ferguson kept Rooney long enough in order to ‘punish’ him after his outburst in 2010 or if he felt that he needed him to ‘bring in’ the new generation at United only he knows. Yet what was clear regarding Ferguson and Rooney’s relationship was that it was effectively ended at the end of last season. 

The fact that Ferguson’s final words were about Rooney appeared to highlight Ferguson’s love and frustration with the player; clearly a talented player Rooney has never really pushed on to the potential he showed as a youngster. Although his statistics and trophy haul are very impressive there is something missing with Rooney. Ferguson could see it and effectively hinted publicly that if Rooney was not 100% United should allow him to leave. 

The question is will we ever see a 100% Rooney?! Not at the level we saw when arrived onto the football scene a decade ago.  

Rooney’s new role – ‘back up’

David Moyes has attempted to handle the situation diplomatically and yet his admission that Rooney is regarded as ‘back up’ to Van Persie has clearly angered Rooney. Yet Van Persie is the better forward and in United’s forward hierarchy he comes top. Moyes admission shows his honesty yet also admits that Rooney is no longer a guaranteed regular for United's first team. 

It was clear that Ferguson had the same feeling towards Rooney; being put out on the right wing against Madrid and dropped in the second leg was proof in itself that Rooney was not valued anymore. Yet the most worrying aspect of the situation was Rooney's reaction. 

His inability to deal with being regarded as a ‘back up’ is not surprising if we analyse his career. This is the player who has always been the top man, the best player on the pitch (perhaps Ronaldo overshadowed him yet there was a sense that Rooney would always play). For a player of Rooney’s quality it is clear that he has never before being unvalued by his coaches or teammates yet since Van Persie has arrived he has been  overshadowed by the Dutchman and Rooney has simply failed to accept or understand not being the main man. 

The past season was a completely different experience for him and he proved an inability to deal with this ‘challenge’. Petulance and selfishness could be used to describe his attitude and performances. Yes he showed moments of quality, yet not to the level that is expected or needed for the top level. Instead of pushing himself to improve and fight for his place it appears he has simply threw his toys out and stated a desire to leave.

Universal talent or master of none?

The arrival of Shinji Kagawa and Van Persie was very significant for Rooney. In these two players Ferguson saw more talent and need, he could not rely on Rooney as the leading man in the nine or ten role. Ferguson replaced the versatile Rooney with two specialists. And this is Rooney’s problem; he offers the ability to play in a multitude of positions, yet as this article will discuss this ‘talent’ has led Rooney to become the best ‘utility’ player in world football.

Is it conceivable that the reason Rooney is still at United because no-one else wants him? The Whitehouse Address has been a big supporter of Rooney and believes he is one of the greatest products English has produced. Yet it is clear that Rooney has not fulfilled the potential he once showed. For many this may be a crazy suggestion, for many he is a ‘world class’ player, yet the truth is Rooney is an enigma in the modern game.

It is not inconceivable that sides like Madrid, Barca, Bayern and PSG, teams who could realistically attract and afford Rooney, do not see the value in him. United will not sell to a Premier League rival in Chelsea or Arsenal and so may find themselves stuck with a player who could be disruptive and damaging to the club and the new manager, yet one they cannot offload.

So why does no-one want him? Well it has to do with being ‘Mr Universal’. For the past decade the word ‘universal’ player has become in vogue in the football world; a new cycle of football has meant that football became a game of 'specialists' yet many believe that it is moving towards a more ‘universal’ type of game. 

For many they hold up Rooney up as the epitome of the ‘modern’ universal player. And yet this is simply not true. He has proven capable of playing in a multitude of positions and done okay when called on, yet what this has proven is that he a ‘jack of all trades and a master of none’.

Talents suited to another era

The truth about Rooney does not possess the attributes to be a ‘world class specialist’ in the modern game. This is the crux of the situation. If Rooney had been playing during the late 90’s and early 2000’s it is conceivable that he could have been one of the greats. His best role is the classic trequartista  made famous by players like Del Piero and Zidane. Rooney’s idol as a young kid was in fact Jari Litmanen which points to Rooney’s playing style and ultimately his downfall. His desire to be a classic ‘10’ has seen this rigid role become more fluid and interchangeable because the change in tactics and the emergence of two defensive midfielders warrants it.

This is why players like Iniesta, Silva and Mata (no surprise all Spanish) have excelled in the modern game playing as more fluid 10’s. Add to this list Ozil, Gotze and Kagawa. The era of rigidity in the final third has ended, the modern game has killed the classic trequartista and made players like Rooney and also Wesley Sneijder almost redundant. This is why United bought Kagawa and Bayern have bought Gotze (a compliment to the work and vision of Klopp) who are playmakers equipped for the modern game.

Wayne Rooney is a player who suits another era of football and this is why his appeal his diminished. The unfortunate thing for him and England is that he had the potential to be a modern flexible player and yet seemingly chose not to enhance or modernise his game to suit the needs of the present day. 

Instead of enhancing his style or dynamic fitness he has become even more the type of player which the 90’s lavished praise over. He wants to set the tempo, control games and yet lacks the subtlety, dynamism and speed of play which is required in today’s game.

During the 90’s Rooney would have been blessed with time and space which would he could have exploited and excelled in, yet this space and time has disappeared or at least being minimised, leaving Rooney unable to make the impact necessary in the positions he wishes to take up.

For some people Rooney resembles Fransesco Totti in terms of his style and ability to play in a multitude of positions. In some ways you can see the similarities and yet I would argue Totti has evolved his game throughout his career in order to stay on top of the present game. This has allowed him to keep his career going at 36. Rooney is 27 years old and looks like it is him who is at the end of his career. Totti has evolved and stayed in peak fitness to keep his career at its height, Rooney does not seem to have the same mentality.

In fact the best comparison to Rooney is Juan Roman Riquelme. The Argentinian playmaker is a great example of the modern game putting an end to arguably one of the greatest classic 10’s the game has seen in terms of his style and approach. His game was built on playing between the lines and was afforded the time and space to exploit and master. 

However in the top levels of the game those areas which he loved to exploit and master effectively disappeared and his lack of mobility and dynamism prevented him ‘evolving’ his game. In this way Rooney is the modern day Riquelme which appears ludicrous when you consider Rooney is just 27 years old, yet this highlights the issue which United now have.

The Rooney situation is similar to that of Berbatov, a player who possesses great ability yet who did not fit into the style which United and those other top European sides wish in their attack; fluidity, dynamism and speed. Rooney's development has seen him become more like Berbatov and Riquelme and has effectively made him a square piece in a round hole in United's attack. 

A need to evolve or go extinct

Perhaps the position he could excel in now is the deep lying playmaker and based on the ‘issues’ United have in midfield it would be a logical move for Moyes to have Rooney play deeper on a regular basis. Yet will Rooney wish to make this move? He clearly still sees himself as a number nine and wants to score goals (a childish mentality which perhaps has held him back in terms of ‘evolving) yet if Moyes sees him as a ‘back up’ and with the clear lack of viable options to sell Rooney the move to a deeper role may be the only logical step.

The truth is that Kagawa and Van Persie are better options playing fluid 9 and 10 roles which United need, Rooney is second behind both players. Rooney has a problem because United will not sell to a club in the Premier League and while sides like PSG or Madrid will not move for him, it may be that a move to someone like Galatasaray or Anzhi is his only option?! 

Therefore Rooney has a choice to make; evolve at United and become what Scholes was or be like the other ‘trequartistas’ of the past and move to a lesser league and club where they can enjoy their own style and game. 

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address

Related articles

• Rooney Exit is Best for Everyone
• Wayne Rooney - 10 Years Later
• Why Rooney Needs To Leave United In Order To Fulfil His Potential
• The Rise of the Little Man 
• Part V - A New Era
• Why the "Poacher" is in Danger of Becoming Extinct