Rooney loss hits home as reality bites

SO there was Fergie, chatting away to the press quite amiably last week: “The thing about being on holiday is that you get the fixture list. And as soon as you get that fixture list, you start to plan. You are looking at the first games…”

And of course, one thing you can’t be expected to plan for is an instant two-month lay-off for the man who remains, despite Ronaldo’s keen claim, our best player.

Incidentally, some have also picked up on that quote and grumblingly suggested that if Alex was in full planning mode, he might therefore have brought forward his own house move — Fergie couldn’t be at the friendlies last week because his wife insisted he help shift boxes. Apparently €5 million a year isn’t enough to afford bit of subcontracting.