Rooney’s greed might be forgiven but it will not be so easily forgotten
Fergie is smiling, so too is Wayne and the ink is drying on the new contract.
The balaclava adorned protestors that besieged his house last Thursday night can put away their intimidating headgear. And those banners – “Coleen forgave you. We won’t.’’ – can be ripped apart.
All is forgiven. I wonder. That was a traumatic week at Old Trafford, one not easily forgotten.
The finger of blame is being pointed at the agent, Paul Stretford. Allegations are rife, perhaps wholly unfounded, that his was the mind behind the machinations, that Rooney was somehow an ‘unthinking’ (something I could certainly believe), unwitting participant in the whole affair.
But, I’m not having it. Rooney isn’t the brightest spark but he lent his name to the statements that were made, about the meetings with David Gill, about the questions raised over the ambitions of Manchester United, about the club’s willingness to pay the money to attract top players.
He was the one who said he wanted a transfer.
My immediate reaction to the initial story is still my reaction a week further on. This was about greed, about money. It was about modern day footballers who, perhaps egged on by agents more than happy to take their cut from any agreed moves, never stop to think about how they’d actually be able to spend the extra thousands per week they’d make somewhere else.
They are wholly divorced from reality, cushioned by the absurd luxury they abide in.
We’re only guessing about the figures involved but since we know that Rooney was on £90,000 (€101,000) a week we can presume he’s now doubling that.
And he might have made £250,000 (€280,000) for every seven days’ work by moving across the city. Isn’t this all more than a touch ridiculous a few days after the British Chancellor of the Exchequer announced ‘cuts’ that could lead to half a million people losing their jobs? Of course, not the Rooneys of this world.
I don’t believe Rooney had the nerve, though clearly he’s arrogant enough, to question the direction of one of the biggest, most successful clubs in the world.
It may seem a lifetime ago but can you imagine Bobby Charlton – more of a ‘world class’ player than Rooney will ever be – adopting a similar stance?
No, ‘The Glazers’ was a side issue except for the fans who have to suffer them.
I credit Rooney only with the intelligence to have woken up and thought: ‘what am I doing?’ Only his team-mates can tell you whether they’ll cast aside the patent disrespect that he’s shown to them.
Only Manchester United fans will know whether they’ll truly be able to forget as well as forgive.
Another point: given that he’s ‘won’ a vast increase in salary, doesn’t it strike Rooney that it actually weakens the club’s ability to venture into the market to buy ‘big’? As if he really cares. And don’t believe that Manchester City won’t be enquiring soon enough.
