Jesus christ all you needed to do is watch matches back then to see he was better at 18-19. He was more developed at that age. Ronaldo was clear of him after 2005 and never looked back. But to say that an 18 year old CR was better? I really hate the late 20s/early 30s Rooney but the late teens/early00s Rooney was a joy to watch and i fecking loved him at the time.
Wayne Rooney Appreciation Thread
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
He was really really awful from 2014 onwards, and the hatred he got from fans around here should have been directed more to his managers who insisted on playing him all the fecking time instead of shifting him gradually away from the starting XI.... this is actually one thing that Mourinho the cnut can take credit for. I remember really hating the fact that he was playing for us, but never hating the man himself.
It was also to be expected that he'll decline at a very fast rate, what with playing as much as he did and with such intensity ever since he was 16 years of age.
for about 9 years he was a sublime player for us. peak-wise I think he's definitely in the conversation with Ronaldo and Keane as the top 3 I've seen playing for us for the past 2 decades (honorable mention to Scholes).
Weird to think that such a special player like him wasn't even considered to necessarily be the best forward in the league cuz of Aguerooo...
It was also to be expected that he'll decline at a very fast rate, what with playing as much as he did and with such intensity ever since he was 16 years of age.
for about 9 years he was a sublime player for us. peak-wise I think he's definitely in the conversation with Ronaldo and Keane as the top 3 I've seen playing for us for the past 2 decades (honorable mention to Scholes).
Weird to think that such a special player like him wasn't even considered to necessarily be the best forward in the league cuz of Aguerooo...
Best 18 year old I have ever seen, other than R9.
Rooney was easily better than Cristiano at 18 years old, it's not even a contest.
Messi surely wasn't worse, was he?
But I agree with those who said that Wayne was better at 18 than Ronaldo was at the same age.
C. Ronaldo matured into being a better (if different) player than him,
But Rooney the youngster... wow, just wow
Rooney was just a bit more developed at a young age, he was already physically ready, he was built like a 27 year old man at 18 which gave him that slight edge. Messi was absurd but Rooney was an absolute beast.
Personally I’d be picking 18 year old Rooney over 18 year old Messi, the latter had flashes of what he went on to become but Rooney was already dominating games.
18 year old Rooney was absurd.
Yeah on a second thought I tend to agree.
He actually was able to lead an offensive line on his own at such a young age... It was so obvious that he'd be terrifying defenses week in week out...
Edit: just checked and for reference, the 3-3 of Barca vs Madrid in 2007 where Messi scored a hattrick was indeed when he was 20 years old. 2004/5 when he was 18, he hasn't just yet exploded into the scene.
So you were right.
Rooney was a great player with a great career, but man, looking at those highlights just reminded me that the teenage Rooney had a hint of genius about him that he lost at a pretty young age. It's hard to make sense of it, but that magic, that dribbling ability, came and went pretty quickly.
I distinctly remember a game against Bolton when he was 17. It was 0-0 at goodison and Rooney's performance was breathtaking. It was like watching a talented brazilian or something.
Plus, there is the fact he was finished at the top level at 30. Which, was his own fault. If he had looked after himself better he could have still be playing for England!
Edit: I found highlights of that bolton game
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Disagree, in terms of ability on their best days. Rooney was more mature but to me he was never more talented or even close.
That’s a ridiculous comment.
Sorry but Rooney was never close to Messi. At 12,14,16,26. He was built like a man but in terms of ability he was never on a level with the absolute greats.
Rooney was influencing games to an appreciably greater extent than Ronaldo was at 18. That's probably because they both played in the PL and Rooney matured physically a lot quicker, so he was ready for it sooner. Had nothing to do with talent, but just the ability to impose one's self on a game. Ronaldo's leap around 2005/06 was really noticeable as he was starting to decide the outcome of matches by that point, which he hadn't really been doing to the same degree as Rooney had up to that point.
That's a ridiculous comment. Rooney was way better then Ronaldo. Ronaldo wasn't that great the first 3 years. He was all show and no product.
Even at Sporting Ronaldo wasn't that great. He was just a bunch of tricks. While Rooney was influencing games at Everton.
When we first got Rooney the hype around him was incredible. They weren't calling him the white Pele for nothing. Ronaldo just didn't have that hype. He was a skinny boy who wanted to do stepovers. I understood Ruud's frustration with him. He just didn't have that football brain that Rooney has. Granted Ronaldo worked his socks of to become what he did. However I felt that if Rooney even put in half the work Ronaldo did he would of been better than Ronaldo, close to Messi.
Rooney was naturally talented. You could tell how he played. Ronaldo has a work ethic like no other. It didn't come natural and that's why he has a robotic style about him.
Rooney was the best team player I ever saw in my life. I've never seen anyone who at one moment was making a tackle in our end then at the other was setting up or scoring a goal. A brillant player. Because of his last years with us I feel he is hugely underrated. The Rooney I know told everyone to f off and striked that ball like he wanted to murder it. Once he lost that fire you could see a change.
Rooney was a lot better at that age to be honest. I think most United fans would agree with that.
This play summed up Wayne Rooney:
@Jeppers7 having an absolute mare in here 
If you look at both players now, it's not debatable that Ronaldo is the better player as he had a stronger work ethics that everyone he played with talks about. But at 18 it was a different story, Rooney was regarded as a generational talent some were saying he would be the best British player ever, he showed it at Euro 2004 before getting injured and in the first 3 seasons in United playing with Ronaldo he outperformed him if I'm not mistaken. Since the 2007 2008 season Ronaldo became unstoppable and after his move to Madrid he established himself as one of the greatest in history, and I really do believe that SAFs guidance played a big part in that, Rooney sacrificed himself to the team, I remember where he played at right back vs Porto when we needed to hold on for the 1 0 lead that Ronaldo scores from way out! If they played for another 2 seasons together here we would have an extra CL to our name
Rooney was easily the best teenager in the world at 18 and was being hyped up as a potential GOAT. A lot of this was to do with the fact he developed physically a lot quicker than most players though. He was a physical match for pretty much anyone at the age of 18 in a league that was a hell of a lot more physical than it is these days! It's also the same reason his career wasn't as long as his contemporaries. The candle that burns brightest and all that. It's a shame for him thought that his contemporaries happened to be Messi and Ronaldo. If he was born a decade earlier, he may well have won a few Ballon d'Or's.
A young Rooney was as good as anyone. There was nothing he nothing he cannot do. Ronaldo later became one of the greatest during his time.
I don’t think I’ve seen a player of the ages 16-18 as good as Rooney was at that age. He was playing like a 28 year old prime version of any forward in the world.
Except he wasn't really really awful. He was in teams who were consisting of garbage like Lingard and Depay, what did you expect of him? At times he was our best CM despite never being one in his career.
Anyone who doesn’t rate Rooney knows nothing about football.
It’s not that difficult.
It’s not that difficult.
Rooney was awful at the end of his time with us. That said he could occasionally pull a rabbit out of his hat. That dribble he did against CP was unbelievable. Rooney at his peak should have won the world player of the year.
As I said, anyone who doesn’t rate him is a bit silly.
Quality player and club record goalscorer.
Would have been interesting to see him playing for a manager who expected their strikers to press high and make lots of tackles. He would have been an absolute dream for them. So strong and aggressive when it comes to winning the ball back.
Comfortably.
Here?@Jeppers7 having an absolute mare in here
Do you think Sir Alex disagreed? He would tell people that Ronaldo was going to be the best player in the world, even at 18.@Jeppers7 having an absolute mare in here
Having Rooney and Ronaldo in the same team from teenagers until their early 20's was really something special to see. I hope United have 2 players like that in the team again sometime.
I remember a physios/fitness coach who worked for us back then - said Ronaldo would stay after training and work on his game, fitness, physique, strength. While Rooney felt just training and playing games was enough and anything more would burn him out (paraphrasing)
I would love to see a crystal ball into the levels Rooney would have reached if he had the same obsession with being the best as Ronaldo did
I remember a physios/fitness coach who worked for us back then - said Ronaldo would stay after training and work on his game, fitness, physique, strength. While Rooney felt just training and playing games was enough and anything more would burn him out (paraphrasing)
I would love to see a crystal ball into the levels Rooney would have reached if he had the same obsession with being the best as Ronaldo did
I think the kind of influence they were having over the game was different. Ronaldo's 'flaws' stood out more while Rooney's precocious physical stature gave him an advantage. And you said it yourself, "was going to be the best player in the world", it was a prediction. And a good one at that.
It is easy to know just how good he was. When Ronaldo, the best player in the world at the time who was also our top scorer left the club, in the season following that Rooney took over and became the top scorer. He made the transition rather seamless. All while still being Rooney aka not on the field just to score goals.
A teenage Rooney struck fear into any opposition and was capable of winning games on his own, the kid was fecking immense. Of course he adapted his game and was still a top drawer player for years but once that explosiveness and physicality waned it was never quite the same. I think he’s under appreciated by many, a United great definitely.
Rooney wasn’t just better early doors. He was far better. And I imagine had he not done his metatarsal we would be talking about him much differently. Had far more in his locker than Ronaldo ever did which is why he was used in so many different capacities as well. And many times to his detriment.
Proper special player - absolutely loved him at United and do feel like he is a little underappreciated, maybe as people remember how he faded here in later years. He had it all, and a top team player.
Loved watching Rooney play. Had a somewhat unique style in being all-action yet technically fantastic.
Rooney was an absolute monster. He could do it all and was more than happy to sacrifice himself for the greater good of the team. Iconic player and a proper United legend.
Whatever Ronaldo could do Rooney could do. Ronaldo did somethings a lot better. I don't think Rooney was as quick as Ronaldo. For sure Rooney was a much better team player. I think his early injury and his life style destroyed him.
That’s more to do with Ronaldo’s relentless drive to be better and he put in the effort off the pitch.
Rooney clearly wasn’t on the same level when you see how he always let himself go whenever he was injured or over the summer break.