SSN: Rooney deal to D.C United agreed in principle

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golden_blunder

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For all the quirks to his relationship with United and the fans, I really do hope it works out for him if he ends up there. Football hasn't looked like a lot of fun for him in the past four or five years, so it'd be nice to see him have a half decent end to his career. Players who have contributed far, far less to the club are revered, whereas he seems to get a lot of stick for a couple of managers not being big enough to do what needed to be done and move him on when it was readily apparent that he was finished.
This. Why would anyone not wish him well as he rounds down his career? I don’t comprehend it
 

Brophs

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Does she have a real job?
What do you consider a ‘real’ job? I don’t know a great deal about her but from what I can see she’s a working mother who gets paid a very good living bit to do ads/books/DVDs/product endorsements. I think she’s probably doing just fine for herself.
 

limerickcitykid

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Neither Zlatan nor Schweinsteiger have struggled with the pace. They’ve struggled with the massively shite players around them. Both the Galaxy and the Fire are amongst the worst teams in the league. There’s only so much they can do. You aren’t signing either of those players to cover tons of ground, and be the engine room of your team. You are signing them (in footballing terms, rather than commercial) for their leadership, experience, and technical quality. But if they are surrounded by players who aren’t making the right runs, who aren’t providing a cohesive platform for them to showcase their ability, what do people expect? Both players are slow, and have been for years, but just recently played in a top class league at a faster pace. - Neither are struggling with the physicality or pace of MLS, but rather the quality of their team mates.

As you stated, Rooney is going into a similar situation in DC. Shite team, who aren’t going to see a dramatic improvement by signing a similar sort of player. But drop Rooney into one of the better MLS sides, and he’ll be brilliant in such a mediocre league.
You think Chicago Fire, who came 3rd last year are amongst the worst in the league? How can the 3rd place team be among the worst in the league?

Schweinsteiger has certainly struggled with the pace and physicality at times and the fact he just came from the EPL means nothing because he was dogshit in the EPL. He has done pretty good in the MLS but he has also had some awful games and it wasn't because of his teammates. Against Toronto, he resorted to just standing on the wing because he couldn't handle it.
 

Loublaze

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Neither Zlatan nor Schweinsteiger have struggled with the pace. They’ve struggled with the massively shite players around them. Both the Galaxy and the Fire are amongst the worst teams in the league. There’s only so much they can do. You aren’t signing either of those players to cover tons of ground, and be the engine room of your team. You are signing them (in footballing terms, rather than commercial) for their leadership, experience, and technical quality. But if they are surrounded by players who aren’t making the right runs, who aren’t providing a cohesive platform for them to showcase their ability, what do people expect? Both players are slow, and have been for years, but just recently played in a top class league at a faster pace. - Neither are struggling with the physicality or pace of MLS, but rather the quality of their team mates.

As you stated, Rooney is going into a similar situation in DC. Shite team, who aren’t going to see a dramatic improvement by signing a similar sort of player. But drop Rooney into one of the better MLS sides, and he’ll be brilliant in such a mediocre league.
You make some good points. Zlatan and Schweinstieger do have poor teammates (in Schweinstieger's case its more of teammates in terrible form this season as Chicago Fire have more overall quality and cohesion than Galaxy.) but even with that in mind they are also struggling with the pace of the league IMO. I just watched Galaxy and Fire play against my Atlanta United recently (Galaxy three weeks ago and Chicago just 6 days ago). The games flew by both players in question and its criminal they both lasted 90 minutes. Despite the qualities they still possess their bodies can only take them so far. I think they'll both retire at the end of their contracts. As far as Rooney goes I think it will be even worse for him at DC United because he's a poor professional and they are probably the worst of the worst in the league right now. We shall see.

So I am to understand that if Wayne Rooney had stayed at Everton and played for Everton for 15 years that he wouldn't have been financially secure?

Everton pay all of their top players a six-figure salary per week. So on that basis, he would have earned in the region of £100 million during his career, before endorsements were taken into consideration.

I can't help thinking that probably would have been enough to stave off homelessness.

But not for one second would have I expected him to stay at Everton, just don't pretend that you 'love' the club, or some other such b*llocks. Or at least don't expect me to take that statement seriously. Anyone can say that they love anything, but actions speak louder than words.

The reason Everton want to get rid of him is because he's (completely undeservedly) the highest paid player at the club. Effectively, he's stealing from the club that he supposedly loves because he's absolutely nowhere near worth £150,000 per week.

If he truly loved Everton, he would be willing to take a pay cut right now, and be part of the squad, which he is still easily good enough to do. And he's already extremely wealthy, so he's hardly putting himself in a vulnerable financial position. And then, on top of that, he will still be paid a salary that would put him in the top 0.0001% globally in terms of income, while his net worth already puts him in the top 0.001% as well. Also, when he's finished playing football he will walk into any number of lucrative football-related positions, plus he has loads of business interests and assets.

But he won't even consider taking a pay cut for the club he 'loves' because he's greedy and self-serving. But he'll still come out and say that he 'loves' Everton. The words couldn't be more empty.

Meanwhile, it took Everton until the end of 2016 to agree to pay office staff £9 per hour. Imagine if Everton offered him that, how much would he 'love' the club then?
Great post!

5-10 goals? He scored 10 in that woeful Everton team. He'll score a good 15 in the slower-paced MLS. In fact, it might be ideal for him seeing as he won't be rushed every time he touches the ball. 32 is still young enough for Rooney to thrive in a less demanding league.
He will be rushed, you can bet on it. Teams like Sporting KC, Orlando City, Atlanta United and NewYorkFC don't give you time on the ball and they often make quick transitions. Also, DC United are woeful and do a lot of ball chasing. You are underestimating the demands of playing in the MLS which is expected if you're not a keen follower but many 'retirees' from across the pond have come here thinking they'd coast the league and found out otherwise. Gerrard and Lampard are good recent examples
Lampard had his fitness issues but every time he played he looked completely out of place. Most teams in the league are going in the direction of focusing on developing and expanding their youth academies and they are actively recruiting more young players from South America and Europe.
 
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peridigm

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5-10 goals? He scored 10 in that woeful Everton team. He'll score a good 15 in the slower-paced MLS. In fact, it might be ideal for him seeing as he won't be rushed every time he touches the ball. 32 is still young enough for Rooney to thrive in a less demanding league.
Your'e not familiar with MLS are you? It is anything but slow paced. Mostly younger athletic kids who have a kick and run style.
 

limerickcitykid

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Your'e not familiar with MLS are you? It is anything but slow paced. Mostly younger athletic kids who have a kick and run style.
It is still slower than the EPL. The pace of a game isn't based on how fast players run but how fast they move the ball.

Those kick and run style defenders have poor positioning and awareness that can be taken advantage of by the slowest of players who know how to make proper runs.
 

The Red Thinker

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Your'e not familiar with MLS are you? It is anything but slow paced. Mostly younger athletic kids who have a kick and run style.
Learn to read lad. I said slower-paced, not slow-paced. Slower, as in slower than the PL which Rooney has been playing in for the last 16 years. Not slow-paced, as in the Chinese Football League or whatever.
 

The Red Thinker

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He will be rushed, you can bet on it. Teams like Sporting KC, Orlando City, Atlanta United and NewYorkFC don't give you time on the ball and they often make quick transitions. Also, DC United are woeful and do a lot of ball chasing. You are underestimating the demands of playing in the MLS which is expected if you're not a keen follower but many 'retirees' from across the pond have come here thinking they'd coast the league and found out otherwise. Gerrard and Lampard are good recent examples
Lampard had his fitness issues but every time he played he looked completely out of place. Most teams in the league are going in the direction of focusing on developing and expanding their youth academies and they are actively recruiting more young players from South America and Europe.
I like the MLS. It's growing faster than it has ever before and there's a lot of focus on grassroots football. The passion is real. I look at the Atlanta United and I am stunned as to how passionate those folk are down in Georgia!! But, I meant what I said about the pace of the league. It's not slow but it ain't Premier League. Rooney is 32. He's still fit enough to run up and down the pitch. Gerrard was 35 when he went to MLS and Lampard was 36 and still managed to score 15 goals!

The only thing that can hinder Wayne from getting goals is the absolute shite quality that DC United possesses. But not for one moment will I believe that his fitness, the league or the competition will be the main reasons.
 

Loublaze

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I like the MLS. It's growing faster than it has ever before and there's a lot of focus on grassroots football. The passion is real. I look at the Atlanta United and I am stunned as to how passionate those folk are down in Georgia!! But, I meant what I said about the pace of the league. It's not slow but it ain't Premier League. Rooney is 32. He's still fit enough to run up and down the pitch. Gerrard was 35 when he went to MLS and Lampard was 36 and still managed to score 15 goals!

The only thing that can hinder Wayne from getting goals is the absolute shite quality that DC United possesses. But not for one moment will I believe that his fitness, the league or the competition will be the main reasons.
I was surprised by Rooney's goal return for Everton this season but all in all his time there has been frustrating for all parties. Rooney also doesn't take fitness in the off season very seriously. I can see him phoning it in or failing to make an impact even if he tries because the situation he's walking into football wise is simply not ideal. It will end badly for everyone involved but that's just my opinion.

Atlanta United is the way forward btw! Love what we have going on here and the energy is amazing. They slept on us a football loving city for too long.
 

poleglass red

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You make some good points. Zlatan and Schweinstieger do have poor teammates (in Schweinstieger's case its more of teammates in terrible form this season as Chicago Fire have more overall quality and cohesion than Galaxy.) but even with that in mind they are also struggling with the pace of the league IMO. I just watched Galaxy and Fire play against my Atlanta United recently (Galaxy three weeks ago and Chicago just 6 days ago). The games flew by both players in question and its criminal they both lasted 90 minutes. Despite the qualities they still possess their bodies can only take them so far. I think they'll both retire at the end of their contracts. As far as Rooney goes I think it will be even worse for him at DC United because he's a poor professional and they are probably the worst of the worst in the league right now. We shall see.



Great post!



He will be rushed, you can bet on it. Teams like Sporting KC, Orlando City, Atlanta United and NewYorkFC don't give you time on the ball and they often make quick transitions. Also, DC United are woeful and do a lot of ball chasing. You are underestimating the demands of playing in the MLS which is expected if you're not a keen follower but many 'retirees' from across the pond have come here thinking they'd coast the league and found out otherwise. Gerrard and Lampard are good recent examples
Lampard had his fitness issues but every time he played he looked completely out of place. Most teams in the league are going in the direction of focusing on developing and expanding their youth academies and they are actively recruiting more young players from South America and Europe.

Lampard "looked completely out of place", he scored 13 goals in 19 games in his 2nd season as a midfielder. That's good stats for a striker never mind an attacking mid.
 

Loublaze

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Lampard "looked completely out of place", he scored 13 goals in 19 games in his 2nd season as a midfielder. That's good stats for a striker never mind an attacking mid.
I stand corrected on his on the pitch contribution then. Maybe im harsh because the NYCFC fans never really warmed up to him and his commitment was always questioned.
 

poleglass red

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the DC numbers right now might be a bit false. They play 12 away games due to their new stadium being built and 2 "home" games at an alt venue before their new stadium opens in July.
15 of their last 20 games are at home. MLS isn't really a league for away teams as such. They've games in hand on everyone above them, some teams they've 3 games in hand and some they have 4 games in hand. It's not a stat studded line up but they've 1 win and 2 draws in their opening 7, a couple of 3-1 defeats in there. MLS is different animal though, all they have to do is reach play offs.A good sustained run esp with their home games down the final stretch......
 

limerickcitykid

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I stand corrected on his on the pitch contribution then. Maybe im harsh because the NYCFC fans never really warmed up to him and his commitment was always questioned.
Every NYCFC fan I see always say how good he was.

He was labelled shit like worst signing ever because he had a long injury. He wasn't even be judged on his performances. There is a massive circle jerk in the media and in some MLS to shit over all aging European players and Lampard was labelled shit before he even got to touch the field. When he returned to fitness he scored 12 and assisted 2 in 14 starts.

People just like to throw him in with Gerrard without ever actually watching him play or even giving him the chance to play.
 

poleglass red

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I stand corrected on his on the pitch contribution then. Maybe im harsh because the NYCFC fans never really warmed up to him and his commitment was always questioned.
his delay in playing for them by turning out for Man City- the parent club of NY didn't help his cause.
 

Loublaze

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Every NYCFC fan I see always say how good he was.

He was labelled shit like worst signing ever because he had a long injury. He wasn't even be judged on his performances. There is a massive circle jerk in the media and in some MLS to shit over all aging European players and Lampard was labelled shit before he even got to touch the field. When he returned to fitness he scored 12 and assisted 2 in 14 starts.

People just like to throw him in with Gerrard without ever actually watching him play or even giving him the chance to play.
I based my post on my experiences and conversations with NYCFC supporters I know personally so I guess its a bit mixed then. Some of them are casual fans so maybe there's a herd thing going on led by the media as you suggest.
 

Loublaze

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his delay in playing for them by turning out for Man City- the parent club of NY didn't help his cause.
His BBC punditry wasn't welcome either. I think there's a group of fans who hated him no matter what he did and it probably goes deeper to his foolish 9/11 remarks/actions years ago
 

Bastian

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Cheers for the reply. I know the ridicule sometimes goes OTT (I'm a guilty party). He was a freak of nature when he burst onto the scene and I think most of us, if not all of us, expected him to become something bigger than what he eventually developed into. The promise there was just frightening and looked as if a once in a few generations phenomena had emerged. He was a great servant for many years and for a few years he was absolute top class. His decline though was as steep as anything you'll see in professional sports and having him as our captain/star/highest paid player for all those years when he was finished at the top level was difficult to process. Don't get me wrong, I understand fully why players (or anyone) takes the great opportunities afforded to them even if they do not merit them. And I wish him well in his career, regardless of where he goes.

When you say that the physicality or the quality of the league won't faze him, I'm reminded of every time he's double-teamed by the opposition, and he makes an awful pass or loses the ball. He's a liability unless he's got space in midfield. Maybe he can do something there as a striker. Hopefully he'll prove his doubters wrong, but he hasn't done that in years.

If he goes there and ends up being terrible than it's quite an ignoble way to finish out your career. Think it'd serve him better to join a team with quality where they are not crying out for him to be some sort of talisman or superstar.
 

Sandikan

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Has he read the writing on the wall, and realised his time at even an Everton starter is ebbing away? Or is this offer simply too good to turn down?

He's had a career that's longer than most have in years, but at 32, he'd surely still want to turn out for a number of years.
 

Luke1995

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It will be interesting to see what kind of players Beckham will manage to attract to his upcoming team and if it'll improve the quality of that league in any way. If Rooney really goes there, he will tear the league apart with ease, maybe even score 30 goals in a season again. Although his return to Everton isn't a fairytale, he still had some good games, never a throwback to world class performances but in some games he showed his quality. Kaka was absolutely done by 2015 or 2016 at any level and still managed to show his ability on the ball in the MLS...

One thing that does shock me however is that Rooney never even had any offers from La Liga, Bundesliga or others leagues over the course of his career, maybe a change to another european country could keep him in some capacity at the top level. La Liga is more technical than fast paced.
 

Loublaze

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the DC numbers right now might be a bit false. They play 12 away games due to their new stadium being built and 2 "home" games at an alt venue before their new stadium opens in July.
15 of their last 20 games are at home. MLS isn't really a league for away teams as such. They've games in hand on everyone above them, some teams they've 3 games in hand and some they have 4 games in hand. It's not a stat studded line up but they've 1 win and 2 draws in their opening 7, a couple of 3-1 defeats in there. MLS is different animal though, all they have to do is reach play offs.A good sustained run esp with their home games down the final stretch......
DC have no chance of making the playoffs. It would take nothing short of a miracle. Their on the field problems run deep. The squad is thin and full of workhorses.

It will be interesting to see what kind of players Beckham will manage to attract to his upcoming team and if it'll improve the quality of that league in any way. If Rooney really goes there, he will tear the league apart with ease, maybe even score 30 goals in a season again. Although his return to Everton isn't a fairytale, he still had some good games, never a throwback to world class performances but in some games he showed his quality. Kaka was absolutely done by 2015 or 2016 at any level and still managed to show his ability on the ball in the MLS...

One thing that does shock me however is that Rooney never even had any offers from La Liga, Bundesliga or others leagues over the course of his career, maybe a change to another european country could keep him in some capacity at the top level. La Liga is more technical than fast paced.
Rooney won't tear up the MLS. Zlatan is struggling in a poor and disjointed LA Galaxy team and DC United are a much worse team.
 
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VancouverUtdFan

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Damn, farewell legend.



Then again, can’t wait to catch him when he comes to face the Whitecaps in Vancouver!! :drool::drool::drool:
 

SirAF

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This has taken ages. It's good move for him though, he's obviously finished at top level so why not hang out in the US for a few years and a last pay day?
 

Robertd0803

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For anyone complaining about how long our transfers take have a look at this one, its seemingly going on forever.
 

Gopher Brown

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This is an odd move considering he has 3 young children and has just built a house.

Unless he has picked an East coast team because he thinks he can commute. 7hr flights twice a week. Personal trainer at home.
 
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