Well, moaning of any description is, simply, tedious – and that has to be factored in too (when looking at the current debate, both sides of it).
The fact is that Rooney won't be shipped out in the next couple of days. On the contrary, Mourinho will keep playing him. Looking for positives in that scenario doesn't amount to being a Rooney apologist. It should be a question of tolerating him as long as he does what Mourinho – presumably – demands from him.
My take on the latter (what Mourinho expects from Rooney): He's mainly there to contribute something substantial (goals, setting up goals) – and to a (much) lesser extent to be a smooth, orchestrating playmaker who runs the shop and dictates the pace for the full ninety. The latter isn't a realistic expectation - yet it's what many focus on (almost exclusively): United should have a better (in some respects) and basically different (in terms of playing style) #10. Alright, fine - that's clearly a valid opinion. But Mourinho has decided to go with Rooney - presumably for several reasons, including less tangible ones (like team chemistry or whatever one wants to call it).
Rooney isn't at fault for not being the player people want in his (or a similar) role. Unless one actually believes that his contract makes him undroppable (in which case Woodward is to be blamed as much as Rooney himself), it's a simple enough thing: He won't play unless he provides what the manager expects from him.
The prevailing idea on here (among Rooney's most vocal detractors) seems to be that he is so clearly past it - and so easily replaced - that Mourinho basically has to be a bit thick in order to favour him (although very few are willing to state the latter in so many words).
Well - the proof is always in the pudding. Whether Mourinho is right to pick him - or not - has to be a matter of what results he can achieve with Rooney in the team. So, I guess we'll find out soon enough - as they say.
The fact is that Rooney won't be shipped out in the next couple of days. On the contrary, Mourinho will keep playing him. Looking for positives in that scenario doesn't amount to being a Rooney apologist. It should be a question of tolerating him as long as he does what Mourinho – presumably – demands from him.
My take on the latter (what Mourinho expects from Rooney): He's mainly there to contribute something substantial (goals, setting up goals) – and to a (much) lesser extent to be a smooth, orchestrating playmaker who runs the shop and dictates the pace for the full ninety. The latter isn't a realistic expectation - yet it's what many focus on (almost exclusively): United should have a better (in some respects) and basically different (in terms of playing style) #10. Alright, fine - that's clearly a valid opinion. But Mourinho has decided to go with Rooney - presumably for several reasons, including less tangible ones (like team chemistry or whatever one wants to call it).
Rooney isn't at fault for not being the player people want in his (or a similar) role. Unless one actually believes that his contract makes him undroppable (in which case Woodward is to be blamed as much as Rooney himself), it's a simple enough thing: He won't play unless he provides what the manager expects from him.
The prevailing idea on here (among Rooney's most vocal detractors) seems to be that he is so clearly past it - and so easily replaced - that Mourinho basically has to be a bit thick in order to favour him (although very few are willing to state the latter in so many words).
Well - the proof is always in the pudding. Whether Mourinho is right to pick him - or not - has to be a matter of what results he can achieve with Rooney in the team. So, I guess we'll find out soon enough - as they say.
