United send Rooney on transatlantic recovery mission
It is the second time this season the Manchester United boss has broken with tradition to protect his star striker, having kept him out of the September meeting with former club Everton to save the 25-year-old from inevitable abuse about his personal life.
Ferguson must hope this latest intervention triggers a better reaction than the first as Rooney’s omission at Goodison Park was widely interpreted as the moment when the England forward began to get cold feet about committing his future to the Old Trafford cause.
All that disenchantment exploded over an amazing 11-day period last month, which started immediately after England’s Euro 2012 draw with Montenegro when Rooney openly questioned his manager’s assertion that he was suffering from an ankle injury.
The ill-feeling was eventually calmed and a new five-year contract signed. But the negativity surrounding Rooney has proved harder to remove.
Wife Coleen was critical of some reporters who headed out to Dubai where the Rooneys enjoyed a luxurious break last week, while this week the family have been condemned by neighbours for noise that was made at a party they held at their home in Prestbury.
Presumably, Rooney is going with this in mind as much as the medical facilities he will have access to at the Nike World Campus in Oregon, which as plush as it may be, cannot be greatly superior to the state-of-the-art equipment available at United’s own training HQ at Carrington.
“We have the facilities, we just thought it might be in the interests of Wayne and the club, for him to have a change of scenery for a little while,” said United assistant manager Mike Phelan.
“He has had a lot of attention lately and we are going to give him the best opportunity that he possibly can to be in good shape when he returns. We are looking at the overall picture.
“We are going to try to create an overall environment for him to be fit in a short space of time.
“He needs the conditioning. We all agree with that. He can go there without the attention he would get around here.”
Rooney has made just one 19-minute substitute appearance since he was replaced at Bolton with half an hour remaining of what turned out to be a disappointing draw.
The 25-year-old has scored just once for his club this season, from the penalty spot against West Ham in August, and has not managed a goal for United in open play since the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in March when he suffered an ankle injury that coincided with his alarming dip in form.
In sending him to the United States, Ferguson is ensuring Rooney will miss next Wednesday’s Manchester derby, which splits Premier League matches with Wolves and Aston Villa.
And, as Fabio Capello will name his squad for England’s friendly with France next Saturday, Rooney will presumably miss that as well before a potential reappearance against Wigan at Old Trafford on November 20.
“Wayne will leave tomorrow and come back next Saturday. If that goes according to plan, he will be available when he returns,” added Phelan.
Despite missing his weekly press conference due to a virus that should not prevent him being at Old Trafford today, Ferguson also added his weight to the Rooney situation.
“The simple reason Wayne is going to the US is to continue his rehab programme and undergo a week of concentrated training and conditioning under the supervision of our medical and sports science staff,” he said. “We’ve experienced the fantastic facilities at Nike in the past and are happy for him to be there.”
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