Where do you rank Wayne Rooney in your own pantheon of United players?

[Dir Wangem]

Rooney is a great player, but the competition is tough. He wouldn't even make my top 10 list over United players in the PL era. In fact, I'm not sure if he makes my top 15 list!

This is not an insult to Rooney, but rather praise for Fergie. I get dizzy just thinking about how many great players we used to have.

 

[Jacko21]

It completely is hypocrisy and double standards. I don't know how you can't see it!

You feel he's done 3 things wrong, contract disputes, personal things and 'disgusting' recent performances.

Don't even know why I could be bothered having a conversation with someone who would describe a player's performances as disgusting.

As I have clarified, put the three factors together and it is enough for Rooney to be pushed out of my top 10 and to be superseded by others. If you want to go off stats and stats alone (appearances made, goals scored), stick Rooney in your top 10.

I don't know why I bother having a conversation with someone who can't understand what I mean when I refer to performances as 'disgusting'. It's really not difficult.

 

[Sylar]

For me (from the players ive seen):
Cantona, Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo, Keane, Schmeichel, Robson, Ole, Rio are above him.

I think his latter years in the future will be forgiven / forgotten in terms of performance as he got the record, despite him being captain for one of our worst spells in modern times (hey, at least he helped us get the FA Cup).

Thats 9 above him, and I probably would have Rooney 10 cos of him getting the record (which is some achievement).
I think if we look at this again in a few years, yeah he probably is ahead of Carrick, Evra, Vidic (arguable even Rio and Ole).
Rooney has had a better career than say Yorke for United, but Yorke had a better one of year than any of Rooneys imo for United.
Id even say Beckham had a better best year than Rooneys best year.
Ruud was the best striker ive seen for United

Its a tough one, and probably might be easier to judge Rooney once hes left us / retired

 

[r0x0rwolfo]

You know what I mean by disgusting. If you have an issue with the choice of language then that's fine.

But personally, I can say some of Rooney's performances in recent years have warranted disgust on the part of both me and other supporters.

Bizarre, is this emotion reserved for Rooney or was Valencia also disgusting during his poor run of form as one example?

 

[Duafc]

So what I said in the rest of the post that you cut out.

Dunno why people bother to do that except to avoid the fact that they are wrong.

 

[Ban]

Whoever has Ronaldo in their top 10 list and not Rooney is having a laugh.

I don't even consider Ronaldo as an United legend but that's another story.

As for Rooney, certainly in top 10. Below the likes of Cantona, Scholes, Beckham, Giggs and Keane.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

Giggs, Scholes and Cantona only probably ahead. Maybe Irwin too who I'm a huge fan of. Yeah, I'm fine with that.

Giggs
Scholes
Cantona

Irwin
Rooney

Keane
Neville
Schmeichel

Ole for sure
van der Saar
Pallister and Bruce
Cole
Valencia
Carrick
Beckham
other Neville
Vidić, Evra
Ferdinand


Something like that. Lots of great, masterful, and stunning players we had. Lucky us fans.

 

[Ram1fy]

I think Rooney contributed more to United's success than Ronaldo did purely from a longevity standpoint. And as far as questioning the club's ambition is concerned, I think he got it right. Had we reacted to his criticism, we would never have seen a downhill. In fact, Rooney himself would have upped his game. The biggest mistake Rooney made was getting "sold out" for a big contract. He saw the decline, so he should have left to Madrid or somewhere who were ambitious at that moment of time. Yes, and had he left then, he would have been revered here. Therefore after I started watching United(2003), here is my list

1. Ruud Van Nistelrooy
2. Rio Ferdinand
3. Nemanja Vidic
4. Wayne Rooney
5. Paul Scholes
6. C. Ronaldo

 

[Jacko21]

Bizarre, is this emotion reserved for Rooney or was Valencia also disgusting during his poor run of form as one example?

Good grief. You can't honestly say you haven't witnessed some of Rooney's performances in recent seasons and not been left disgusted by them. I'm not referring to when he had a bad game, but rather when he displayed a complete inability to execute just the basics for a footballer. As someone who demanded to be paid £200k+ and plays at the highest level, I find it absurd he can operate on a level more befitting of an amateur.

 

[r0x0rwolfo]

Good grief. You can't honestly say you haven't witnessed some of Rooney's performances in recent seasons and not been left disgusted by them. I'm not referring to when he had a bad game, but rather when he displayed a complete inability to execute just the basics for a footballer. As someone who demanded to be paid £200k+ and plays at the highest level, I find it absurd he can operate on a level more befitting of an amateur.

So it all comes down to a bit of hyperbole and, unsuprisingly, the money.

All football players 'demand' to be paid absurd sums of money, yes Rooney got a big contract, but he was United's best and most marketable player at the time. He's had a big payday but has also broken the goal scoring record and won more than most, so has clearly delivered the goods over his career if not especially in the last couple of years.

He also doesn't pick himself and can't be blamed if a manager chooses to play him injured or out of form. He'll go out and try, and there's nothing disgusting about that.

 

[Camilo]

In terms of players I've actually watched, so mid 90s (as a clueless, glory hunting kid) onwards, he's easily in there. He might even be number one for me..

Ronaldo was great, but his legend will be as a Madrid player. I loved watching Cantona, and sometimes Giggs as a kid, and there was no doubt about the effectiveness of Keane in midfield, but I wouldn't put any of them on the same level as Rooney... Scholes was a great player, but I never particularly enjoyed watching him. Same for our many excellent defenders over the years - great players. But really I rate the great players on how much they excite(d) me - how much they make me want to watch a game.

He'll be remembered far more fondly in years to come I'm sure. One of the greats - an explosive talent, a record breaker, a hard worker, a team player, and an entire career with us (more or less). Sure, he's declined - so what? You have to remember how much of a force Rooney already was before turning 19. If Rashford was half the player Rooney was at his age we'd be celebrating having one of the worlds top talents..

I'll put him number 1. feck it.

 

[Jacko21]

So it all comes down to a bit of hyperbole and, unsuprisingly, the money.

All football players 'demand' to be paid absurd sums of money, yes Rooney got a big contract, but he was United's best and most marketable player at the time. He's had a big payday but has also broken the goal scoring record and won more than most, so has clearly delivered the goods over his career if not especially in the last couple of years.

He also doesn't pick himself and can't be blamed if a manager chooses to play him injured or out of form. He'll go out and try, and there's nothing disgusting about that.

Go out and try? He's a professional footballer playing the in the Premier League for Manchester United. No a competition winner.

Let's agree to disagree. But Rooney's own poor form in recent seasons has been entirely avoidable - on his own part, nobody's else.

 

[GazTheLegend]

I think in 10, 20, 30 years time people will look back at Rooneys career with a lot more respect than they give him today. He was phenomenal and in many ways still is.

He's the top goalscorer for both England and Manchester United. That's insane when you think of the supposedly great players who he's outscored now. Cantona was a fantastic player but never a fantastic goalscorer. van Nistelrooy was a fantastic goalscorer but never a fantastic player. Ronaldo wasn't here long enough and really, used our club as a stepping stone - no shame on him but that's the facts. In terms of our strikers, I think now that Wayne Rooney will be regarded as the best we ever had. Yes, better than Solskjaer, better than Cole, better than Sheringham, better than Hughes, better than, well, anyone.

Edit: To add, as per something I heard on Talksport, I think people mistake the "decline of Wayne Rooney" for what actually was the loss of Sir Alex Ferguson to a lesser or greater extent. He's not been half the player in recent years but the shit we've had around him has almost certainly not helped.

 

[wolvored]

My favourite player of all time was Robbo. Just a tad too young to see Best Law Charlton and Edwards in their prime. Cantona has to be in there as he was the catalyst to our peerless assault on the Premiership. Then you have the Schmeichel Hughes Ince Kanchelskis era. I would put Rooney on a par with them as to what they bought to the club. Probably a step behind the Beckham Scholes Keanes era. So if Robbo was a 10 Rooney would be an 8, on what they brought to the club. He tainted himself with wanting to leave, and he has 'burnt out' to a lesser player quite early in a players career.

 

[r0x0rwolfo]

Go out and try? He's a professional footballer playing the in the Premier League for Manchester United. No a competition winner.

I am clarifying my issue with the word disgusting, which implies some vile act. All united players and all players have poor games. Nothing special about Rooney in that respect.

 

[Schmiznurf]

He wouldn't be in the top 10, i've had favourite players and he was one of them many years ago but all my other favourites will be above him in my opinion.

 

[alanjohnson]

some of you have forgotten just how bad he has played in the last 4 years. He's been the worst player on the pitch whilst earning crazy money. There have been so many games where he's let us down and then later we've all moaned abouth ow bad he was...only to still get to play and repeat the same performance again.
Just because he scores the occasional goal doesn't matter to me.

If i was judging him on the years before the last 4, id have put him as a top 10 player. Btw he should have broken the record years ago.

 

[Big Jim Holton]

After his efforts over Christmas to get fit, and lose about a stone in weight I'd put him top of my list.

Superb effort from the player to shape up for the run in.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Definitely in my top 5. He's our top goalscorer of all time, for crying out loud. It's so hard, though. We've had some super players.

 

[SirAF]

After his efforts over Christmas to get fit, and lose about a stone in weight I'd put him top of my list.

Superb effort from the player to shape up for the run in.

 

[MiceOnMeth]

How the hell can Ole be above Rooney? Heck, Ronaldo probably shouldn't be above him either gave his best years to Madrid etc.

 

[NextSeason]

@Jacko21 you're completely hypocritical because there are players in your top 10 guilty of all the bad traits you detested in Rooney but you've clearly attached more weight (excuse the pun) to these factors for Rooney because of a personal dislike.

 

[pacifictheme]

As I have clarified above, it's a contributing factor, which when allied with his abysmal performances and transfer request/wage demands, make it easy to discount him. I wouldn't do so on his private life only.

Why mention it at all then? Its a non factor on its own, so not worth bringing up.

 

[pre Munich Red]

Predicted his likely release months ago - once he had beaten Charlton's record.
Good luck to him.

 

[pacifictheme]

No Cantona, Law or Robson?

Yeah i know. Those three i did consider. Its a pretty fluid list really. Would be different tomorrow. We've had a lot of great players.

 

[snk123]

Ronaldo can not be above Rooney ffs. Ronaldo is a madrid legend - not a utd legend at all.

Also, from the current team - if Tony V plays for another 3-4 seasons, gets a testimonial, do we call him a Utd legend?

 

[sosolid4u09]

I can't really rank players individually.
I prefer grouping legends together.

Top tier:
Charlton
Law
Best
Cantona
Ronaldo

Second tier;
Giggs
Scholes
Keane
Rio
Rooney
Etc....

I dont have him in my top tier but definitely in the next one

 

[sosolid4u09]

Ronaldo can not be above Rooney ffs. Ronaldo is a madrid legend - not a utd legend at all.

Also, from the current team - if Tony V plays for another 3-4 seasons, gets a testimonial, do we call him a Utd legend?

Ronaldo was central and key to United wrestling back dominance from one of the most dominant teams in premier league history in chelsea, during the strongest premier league era ever, being the main reason for us winning three premier league titles in a row. Not to mention united reaching back to back champions league finals, something only all time great teams have done, also in one of the toughest eras in European cup history.

Ronaldo is absolutely a Man United legend. The only possible argument is the lack of longevity but he is arguably the best footballer to ever play for us. He is one of the only united players to be considered the best in the world while playing for us. And his achievements for us while he was here definitely put him up there!

 

[Deleted member 101472]

He wouldn't be in my top 10 of all-time great Manchester United players. And that's saying something given he is now the club's top goalscorer.

I don't hold Wayne Rooney in any great affection, the reasons are threefold:

• Handing in a transfer request and questioning the club's ambition
• Revelations about his private life, hugely questionable decisions
• Some of the truly amateurish performances he has put in during the last 3/4 years (for a man who demanded £200k+, it's disgusting)

This.

 

[r0x0rwolfo]

some of you have forgotten just how bad he has played in the last 4 years. He's been the worst player on the pitch whilst earning crazy money. There have been so many games where he's let us down and then later we've all moaned abouth ow bad he was...only to still get to play and repeat the same performance again.
Just because he scores the occasional goal doesn't matter to me.

If i was judging him on the years before the last 4, id have put him as a top 10 player. Btw he should have broken the record years ago.

Ocassional goal? He's the top goal scorer for the club.

 

[DOTA]

Probably not in my top 20 favourite United players (nor is Giggs - as I apparently have to point out).

In terms of performances, in the top 5 I've seen a decent amount of. Wouldn't like to pick between him and the other greats of the last couple of decades.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Rooney is just "that" player for me. No matter what he does I can't like him, even when he scored that bicycle kick v city I criticized him for hitting it with his shin. I acknowledge all he's done for the club, he's the all time top goalscorer of the worlds most famous club and you probably couldn't begrudge the man a statue on that reason alone.

That being said, I am very satisfied the way he has seemingly accepted his bit part role. Hopefully behind closed doors he was pretty aware of his performances being so poor that the team was suffering and is understanding of his regular place on the bench now.

 

[predator]

'United's best players' - you could say Veron is a better United player than Park because he was more talented, even though Park gave much more to United.

I class the best players as a mix of both with more emphasis on achievements at the club.

Rooney would be in my top 5 anyway. How he is not in all people's top 10 is scandalous. Some people will just never like the man.

 

[2cents]

Top 10, not top 5.

 

[sullydnl]

He wouldn't be in my top 10 of all-time great Manchester United players. And that's saying something given he is now the club's top goalscorer.

I don't hold Wayne Rooney in any great affection, the reasons are threefold:

• Handing in a transfer request and questioning the club's ambition
• Revelations about his private life, hugely questionable decisions
• Some of the truly amateurish performances he has put in during the last 3/4 years (for a man who demanded £200k+, it's disgusting)

Partly agree with this post. I don't have any particular problem with revelations in his private life though, unless I've forgotten some terrible thing he did?

For me it's more a combination of the transfer requests and his rather uniquely inconsistent form over the years that led to a certain frustration with him, even at his peak. He could go from looking brilliant to looking fundamentally poor so easily. Not just that, even when he was poor he could flip from looking overconfident to having his confidence totally shot. Hard to warm to a player you can't quite get a read of.

 

[golden_blunder]

The way he acted with the club (twice) when he thought he was bigger/better than the club will always make sure I and many other don't consider him a United legend. No doubt about his ability and his big role in helping us win trophies over the years however.

Where does George best figure with these same judges of morality?

 

[JPRouve]

Without any sorts of objectivity:

Sir Bobby Charlton
George Best
Denis Law
Cantona
Keane
Ferdinand
Giggs
Scholes
Robson
Rooney

 

[Strachans Cigar]

as far as questioning the club's ambition is concerned, I think he got it right. Had we reacted to his criticism, we would never have seen a downhill. In fact, Rooney himself would have upped his game. The biggest mistake Rooney made was getting "sold out" for a big contract. He saw the decline, so he should have left to Madrid or somewhere who were ambitious at that moment of time. Yes, and had he left then, he would have been revered here.

That's pretty much spot on IMHO.

Would have been very interesting to see if we would have offloaded Rooney had SAF stayed beyond 2013 and not been replaced with the goon Moyes.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

In no particular order...

Robson
Cantona
Giggs
Charlton
Scholes
Neville
Irwin
Foulkes
Keane
Best
Hughes
Rio
Vidic
Law
Carrick
Beckham
Ole
Evra
Stiles
Big Pete
Cole
Yorke
Bruce

All those guys go above Rooney in terms of how I think about them. Players like VdS, Ronaldo, Stam, DDG are around where he's at. For me at least. Ronaldo is perhaps an unjustified omission. He remains the best player I've seen in a United shirt and it was a joy to watch him play, but he's a Real Madrid legend not ours.

Rightly or wrongly I simply see those players as embodying Manchester United for the time that they played. I don't much like Hughes now but I loved him at United, plus he gave us that game in Rotterdam.

 

[Snow]

I don't know. Haven't seen too much from players pre the '68 team and from '68 til Cantona so those players (like Viollet, Edwards etc) won't be on any lists of mine.

He's probably in the 2nd level with a bunch of others below Charlton, Best, Giggs, Scholes and Cantona.

If we're talking personal favorites then he's more down there because I've never taken much to the guy. Not particularly fond of his style of football and he has frustrated me more than anyone that I've watched. Always blown hot and cold for me. But as a United legend he's in the top 10.