Moyes/Woody screwed us with that ridiculous contract, at least from a footballing perspective - although I maintain it was the right thing from an off the field point of view. If Fergie had stayed, Rooney would have been sold, most of his defenders on here would likely be like 'yea, he was passed his best', as it never the wrong decision to sell a player on here, although always wrong to criticise them and say they aren't great before they are sold.
Rooney going under Fergie would have been fine, because Fergie = stability, and he wouldn't be the first star he has sold before. However, under Moyes, and the narrative of 'United in crisis' - big 'names' losing would have sent a terrible message. It would look as if Rooney doesn't want to sign a new deal because of United's decline, and the wrong message would be sent.
I think we are deceiving ourselves though if we think that, in this Aguero, Costa, Sanchez etc age that Rooney can be enough of a danger to fire us back to the top? People are now coming up with the whole 'we need Bale/Depay and more goals from wide' stuff to help Rooney and mask the fact that his return is not good enough. At least the perfect mitigation was provided for those who want it in the shape of 5 or so games in midfield (in which he scored 2 of his 12 goals this season anyway if I'm not mistaken). Before that, they had multiplied his 20 max games out wide by 5 or 6 and changed the story to him being a winger while Ronaldo was here.
This will be LVGs biggest test over the coming yearsas to whether he is strong enough to drop his skipper. What is certain is that we need better, both in terms of goal output and approach play.
).