Wayne Rooney, The Midfield General? Mourinho Says No.

What should we do with Rooney ?

  • Keep him as a starting XI player

    Votes: 23 6.7%
  • Sell him

    Votes: 221 64.8%
  • Keep him as a squad player

    Votes: 97 28.4%

  • Total voters
    341
  • Poll closed .

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Yup I'm with you on that, he was great but he isn't anymore, what's so difficult for people to understand this, he's been playing for years and years and has the body type and history to feck it up even more on his holidays, then we will have to play him in ten + games to even see a championship player in him yet again when he comes back, sentimentality is one of the major problems over the last ten years at Utd, Anderson, 8 years ffs!

The fact that people still defend him absolutely staggers me.
 

fellaini's barber

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It's not just a United thing, look how Germany handle their legends when they know their done, take them to tournaments and start them from the bench(Schweinin,Klose). In Bayern they just sell you off without fuss. In England/United you seem to think a player being a legend means you just keep playing them even to the detriment of the club/country, till people get sick of seeing them. We did it with Scholes, G. Nev, Giggs, would have probably done it with Rio and Vida if Moyes hadn't fecked everything up. Now it's Rooney, he's a legend, let's play him in midfield since we can't delude ourselves he's a good striker anymore. How are other clubs in other leagues so good at letting go?
 

Bojan11

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It's not just a United thing, look how Germany handle their legends when they know their done, take them to tournaments and start them from the bench(Schweinin,Klose). In Bayern they just sell you off without fuss. In England/United you seem to think a player being a legend means you just keep playing them even to the detriment of the club/country, till people get sick of seeing them. We did it with Scholes, G. Nev, Giggs, would have probably done it with Rio and Vida if Moyes hadn't fecked everything up. Now it's Rooney, he's a legend, let's play him in midfield since we can't delude ourselves he's a good striker anymore. How are other clubs in other leagues so good at letting go?
Scholes and Giggs played to a good standard.

Rio left when his standard dropped. G Nev retired after that terrible West Brom game. He should have been sent off in all of his games that season.

Rooney is sticking around like a bad smell. If I only had to get rid of one player this season then it would be Rooney.
 

sully1

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Been a huge supporter of Rooney but i think Fergie got it absolutely spot on before leaving when he told the board that Rooney was done and should be sold and replaced (i think he took Lewdowski's name as the replacement).

Moyes gave him a bumper new contract even at the time Chelsea were making bids for him.

Time to cut our looses and sell him preferably to China
 

Ecstatic

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It's not a bad idea. Rooney just won't accept it.

Like others have said, he still thinks he's great. He still believes he's a surefire starter.
Like Rashford, he is young and can learn a lot from Zlatan :lol:

On a more serious note, if he's very unhappy, then - like Mata did with Mourinho - he will ask to leave this winter.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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Like Rashford, he is young and can learn a lot from Zlatan :lol:

On a more serious note, if he's very unhappy, then - like Mata did with Mourinho - he will ask to leave this winter.
I don't think he'll be unhappy. I'll be very surprised if he doesn't feature often for us.

I don't think Mourinho will bench him.
 

Ecstatic

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Sure we still need him and to have a group of 15-20 excellent players: more competition, replacement of injured/bad performing players...
 

matherto

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There's no chance in hell if he's still a United player come the start of the season that he won't be in Mourinho's first XI no matter what.

Sadly I don't see him going to China no matter how much money they offer.
 

sosolid4u09

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Sure we still need him and to have a group of 15-20 excellent players: more competition, replacement of injured/bad performing players...
but he won't accept a bench role though. he'll still start and worst of all, dominate the ball with his terrible touch, Terrible passing (worldie 60 yard cross field passes to Valencia aside), terrible positioning and discipline
 

sosolid4u09

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I'll leave this up to Mourinho. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. If Rooney continues to put in inconsistent performances upfront or in midfield then he will not be in the first 11, full stop. Rooney cannot afford to put in performances like that England game where he was falling around all over the place and letting the ball skip over his foot etc. Mourinho won't settle for it. If Rooney does play next season its because Mourinho has re-established him as a world class player or at least good enough to make a difference for us. No more getting by on reputation.
we thought the same from van gaal. he has absolutely no problems shifting dead wood or colliding with senior players. yet he pandered to rooney more than sven, mclaren, capello, Hodgson, fergie or moyes ever did. expect the same from mourinho. its the illuminati guys :lol:. we've all seen his triangle to the sky celebration
 

suheilsworld

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Selling Rooney and Fellaini will be a better transfer business than buying Zlatan and Mkhitaryan. The former really make us look shit!
 

Sky1981

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5 or 6 :lol:

Are we just making stuff up in order to reinforce our arguements now?
Are you a new supporter?

What's with the newly promoted members thinking it's hip to defend our player and being the devils advocate to every consensus just for the sake of it.

We love our player, but in rooney case enough is enough. We will be having the same debate next year after he stinks up the midfield thinking he should be a striker.

He doesnt have the tools to become midfielder. A midfielder must possess and eye for pass, game understanding, good in tight spaces under pressure, long range / short range pass, ability to trap the ball, etc etc

It's irritating reading rooney defendee saying he'd be scholes or pirlo type as if all you need to do to become like them is being played in midfield
 

fellaini's barber

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Scholes and Giggs played to a good standard.

Rio left when his standard dropped. G Nev retired after that terrible West Brom game. He should have been sent off in all of his games that season.

Rooney is sticking around like a bad smell. If I only had to get rid of one player this season then it would be Rooney.
I blame most of it on Fergie, there were players he was going to keep picking despite them not being good enough. Scholes(returned) and Giggs where not acceptable to me in their last years, that was the pinnacle of our 'zombie' passing era and getting totally dominated by teams in Europe, and smaller teams in the prem. They were our best midfield options because Fergie stopped buying, and didn't trust the younger ones(Kagawa,Pogba). G.Nev would have still been picked if he didn't retire on his own. Rio left because Fergie had left. We got away with all that because we had Fergie who could win with anything, we don't have that anymore. English football and especially United just have a problem with not knowing when to move on.
Rooney of the last 2/3 season has not done anything anything to earn his unbenchable status but is always the first name on the team sheet and this will continue till it costs us or till he has his G.Nev Vs West Brom moment(Eng Vs Iceland?) and leaves on his on his own. I don't see this in other top clubs in other leagues
 

C'est Moi Cantona

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Rooney as a 'super sub': a bad idea?
Not a bad idea that he's a sub, doubt they'd be anything super about him though, I would rather a younger pacey player coming on with 20 mins to go if we're chasing a game, or if we're trying hold on, a safe player who can retain the ball well, pass short distances (to his teammates!), and not take stupid risks.

Also he is our most marketable player (OK maybe not case now), our highest paid player, and I fear still our captain, will he really just be allowed to doss on the bench? sadly I doubt it, if he stays he plays, so the only hope is he goes.
 

itso 7

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I don't think he'll be unhappy. I'll be very surprised if he doesn't feature often for us.

I don't think Mourinho will bench him.
If he can't bring himself to then Mendes should prepare for Mourinho's third exit package negotitions in four years because a Rooney that starts every game no matter what will drag the team and its manager down. Idiots like Moyes and Van Gaal still blame Woodward for their fate whilst remaining oblivious to the elephant in the room - their fear inspired decision to build their teams around Rooney! Under Moyes Rooney played for his last major contract and basically went on vacation once that was secured. If Mourinho falls into the same trap he is done before he is even started.
 
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Needham

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It's not a bad idea. Rooney just won't accept it.

Like others have said, he still thinks he's great. He still believes he's a surefire starter.
Are you saying that based on any actual pronouncements he's made?
 

Treble

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If he can't bring himself to then Mendes should prepare for Mourinho's third exit package negotitions in four years because a Rooney that starts every game no matter what will drag the team and its manager down. Idiots like Moyes and Van Gaal still blame Woodward for their fate whilst remaining oblivious to the elephant in the room - their fear inspired decision to build their teams around Rooney! Under Moyes Rooney played for his last major contract and basically went on vacation once that was secured.
Very true. LVG himself admitted that much by saying "I put all my money on Rooney as a striker".
 

Random Task

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Are you a new supporter?

I've been following the club as long as I can remember. I'm mid-thirties now. Old enough for you? :p


What's with the newly promoted members thinking it's hip to defend our player and being the devils advocate to every consensus just for the sake of it.

So you're saying it's ok for members with a high post count to show support for a player currently under contract with the club, but those with a lower post count must sheepishly follow the general concensus without a thought of there own? I've never understood that mentality. I'm not playing devil's advocate and I'm not trying to be argumentative just for the sake of it either. If you read my previous posts on the topic you would see that mate.

We love our player, but in rooney case enough is enough. We will be having the same debate next year after he stinks up the midfield thinking he should be a striker.

It's extremely doubtful that this debate will still be raging next summer. This is pretty much Rooney's final throw of the dice, if the transition is a failure then he wil be marginalised by Jose and very likely sold the following summer. In my opinion anyway.


He doesnt have the tools to become midfielder. A midfielder must possess and eye for pass, game understanding, good in tight spaces under pressure, long range / short range pass, ability to trap the ball, etc etc

I disagree with this. In fact I would go as far as saying that, bar his questionable first touch, he has the aforementioned abilities in abundance and then some. There is very little in the way of attributes that Wayne Rooney does not possess. The question is not his lack of ability to play the role, rather is it to late in his career to make such a drastic change in position.

It's irritating reading rooney defendee saying he'd be scholes or pirlo type as if all you need to do to become like them is being played in midfield

I never said that neither do I think it. Though I do believe that Rooney is of a similar talent level to those players, whether he fulfilled that talent is highly debatable. I don't think he did personally.
I don't see why you're getting so upset over a difference of opinion. I believe Rooney, for all he has done for the club on the pitch over a great many years, deserves one final season in which to reinvigorate himself and Jose Mourinho, highly renowned for his man-managment and motivational skills, is the guy most qualified to assist Rooney in this transition.
 

Sky1981

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I don't see why you're getting so upset over a difference of opinion. I believe Rooney, for all he has done for the club on the pitch over a great many years, deserves one final season in which to reinvigorate himself and Jose Mourinho, highly renowned for his man-managment and motivational skills, is the guy most qualified to assist Rooney in this transition.
He played there in the past. It's disaster. Stop recycling this all over again. People are just so blind to the obvious.

At his best in midfield he'll do a flectcher, and that's already a huge achievement. Still not good enough.

Have you seen the midfielders in euro 2016 and what they're capable off?

Kroos, modric, griezman, those are the benchmark we have to aim. Not a simple yes he does the job there

Midfielder are a crucial part of a well functioning team, dont just put a midfielder wannabe if you want to aim for the title.

I appreciate different opinion, but not this again. This is the 5th year we're scratching our head as to where to play rooney. When is enough is enough?
 

togg

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I think, after Jose lauded Rooney a little while ago, it unlikely that he will be sold this summer. Jose will want to try to re-invigorate him one more time.
 

dichinero

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I think, after Jose lauded Rooney a little while ago, it unlikely that he will be sold this summer. Jose will want to try to re-invigorate him one more time.
Like he successfully did with Falcao?
 

elmo

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I don't see why you're getting so upset over a difference of opinion. I believe Rooney, for all he has done for the club on the pitch over a great many years, deserves one final season in which to reinvigorate himself and Jose Mourinho, highly renowned for his man-managment and motivational skills, is the guy most qualified to assist Rooney in this transition.
He has under performed for the past 3 years, if he wasn't English, nobody would give a shit about him languishing in a lousier team where he belongs right now.

And Rooney doesn't have the capability to play well in midfield, mainly because his horrible first touch will cause him to lose the ball in more crucial areas and the fact that he overrates his ability to pass the ball out of trouble.
 

itso 7

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I don't see why you're getting so upset over a difference of opinion. I believe Rooney, for all he has done for the club on the pitch over a great many years, deserves one final season in which to reinvigorate himself and Jose Mourinho, highly renowned for his man-managment and motivational skills, is the guy most qualified to assist Rooney in this transition.
Transition to what exactly? Because for Manchester United to be where it needs to be the positions he plays need to be filled with absolute world class players and I very much doubt he can transition to that in the No.8 or No.10 roles, he has already failed as a 9. Its disgraceful how some of place the team's interests below Rooney's.
 

Treble

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He has under performed for the past 3 years, if he wasn't English, nobody would give a shit about him languishing in a lousier team where he belongs right now.
Indeed. It's only the myth carefully maintained by English media that Rooney is still a great player that keeps him at United. He should have leaved with RVP. Both have massively declined.
 

ShakeUnBake

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Even if it would be common knowledge at this point that Rooney is done as a top player, what can we do about it? The Chinese would have him, but he won't go there. No reputable team that could afford his wages will have him. So we're stuck with him is the reality of it.
 

Sparky_Hughes

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Rooney was poor, I admit that. However; as usual, people tend to focus on the negatives.

I also mentioned the England vs Wales game because the two players (Ramsey and Rooney) were playing, and in my opinion, Rooney come out on top.
Even a blind squirrel finds the odd nut. Rooney is in no way shape or form a better midfielder or better player even than Ramsey.
 

krombacher92

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Even if it would be common knowledge at this point that Rooney is done as a top player, what can we do about it? The Chinese would have him, but he won't go there. No reputable team that could afford his wages will have him. So we're stuck with him is the reality of it.
I really think Mourinho will have the balls to use him as a sub. And he's still good enough for that imo, even though he's quite expensive. But he'll probably generate that money with marketing stuff for the club anyway.
 

itso 7

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Even if it would be common knowledge at this point that Rooney is done as a top player, what can we do about it? The Chinese would have him, but he won't go there. No reputable team that could afford his wages will have him. So we're stuck with him is the reality of it.
I still maintain that if the manager drops him and makes it clear that the only way back is through performances he will pack up and feck off at the end of the season. His pride and lack of mental strength won't allow him to sit on the bench for the next three years. Those who worry about his influence on the squad I would say having Zlatan and Bastien around will help maintain the kids' focus because thet now have a proper superstar to look up to now.
 

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Even if it would be common knowledge at this point that Rooney is done as a top player, what can we do about it? The Chinese would have him, but he won't go there. No reputable team that could afford his wages will have him. So we're stuck with him is the reality of it.
This is as close to the truth as we're going to get.

We are stuck with him and with that in mind, would it not be better to work with the idea of getting the best out of him? As opposed to the alternative of which there is none.
 

Oneunited26

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Scholes and Giggs played to a good standard.

Rio left when his standard dropped. G Nev retired after that terrible West Brom game. He should have been sent off in all of his games that season.

Rooney is sticking around like a bad smell. If I only had to get rid of one player this season then it would be Rooney.
Oh I agree, they're playing to a level was good, but? they should have been squad players, not starters most of the time. Even entertaining the idea of rooney playing in midfield is just a bad idea, when technically hes very poor, passing of the ball is pretty inept. We can do better than playing wayne rooney in midfield, and I hope Jose realizes that this is a bad idea when his vision of how he sees his midfield work, does not have someone like rooney.
 

dannyrhinos89

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Brendan Rodgers had the balls to drop Gerard because the team was suffering with him in it

I really can't see mourinho sticking with Rooney especially as he has previous at Chelsea dropping Lampard.

Hopefully this new season brings an end to Rooney once and for all.
 

Minimalist

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The only agenda on display is seemingly those who can't admit the only reason he's now a midfielder is because he's now downright average as a striker/forward.

Strictly speaking, I think the likes of Kevin Kilbane could have done what Rooney does in midfield. That's the point. It's playing him for the sake of it, not because of anything he brings. He's not even a leader - the worst captain United have had in 30 odd years (being conservative as I'm not that old).
 

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The only agenda on display is seemingly those who can't admit the only reason he's now a midfielder is because he's now downright average as a striker/forward.

Strictly speaking, I think the likes of Kevin Kilbane could have done what Rooney does in midfield. That's the point. It's playing him for the sake of it, not because of anything he brings. He's not even a leader - the worst captain United have had in 30 odd years (being conservative as I'm not that old).
This. Its playing him for the sake of it. And that is what fecks England up. And that is what will cost Jose his job if it continues.