Will next season be Wayne's world?

Earlier this week Sir Alex Ferguson broke the news which has brought relief and excitement for many Reds fans feeling blue.

No, Real Madrid haven’t gone bankrupt and unfortunately the Glazers haven’t sold up, but Fergie has promised that the finest left back from last years Champions League campaign is to lead the line next year – that’s right Rooney’s back up top.

After spending much of the European campaign last season either holding hands with Patrice Evra or compensating for Ronaldo’s inability to leave the opposition half, Rooney will be back where he belongs.

He is expected to be given license to thrill the Old Trafford faithful and produce more moments of magic like THAT goal against Newcastle and the hat-trick against Fenerbahce.

Ferguson has some taken responsibility for Rooney’s stop start progress in realising his individual potential. Rooney’s team ethic and selflessness along with Ronaldo's astronomical improvement have combined to force Fergie’s hand.

Now though with Ronaldo looking to showboat his way through the rest of his career with the Madrid circus, Ferguson will be looking for his No 10 to do what a No 10 should do.

After two months of worry and disappointment the promise of the real Rooney marauding down the centre will delight the United fans (and no doubt Mr Capello) and help to restore some of the feel good factor we had back in May.

Hopefully, signing Berbatov and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial will also get us back on a high, ready for the start of the season.

If Ferguson is true to his word, the stage could be set. With Ronaldo's fall from the limelight and Scholes and Giggs ageing, Old Trafford needs a hero.

Playing as the main man or as the second striker could see Wayne producing more goals like the ones against Russia and Middlesbrough (both as or off the main striker). There is nothing United fans like more than a mercurial, loyal hero (Cristiano Ronaldo please take note).

When Clive Tyldesley implored us to ‘remember the name’ of Rooney back in 2002 we all sat up, took notice and did indeed remember the name. Now six years on it is perhaps time to reacquaint ourselves with that name as next season could prove to be Wayne’s World.

By May, after Ronaldo has kindly done us the favour of playing one more season at the Old Trafford plantation and ‘Wazza’ playing without the shackles – it may be a case of Cristiano who………..??

Of course the only problem now is for Tevez, who is equally selfless and just as willing, but is he any good at left back??

Craig Malpas

Comments

[James]

Rooney is the most overrated plater in Premiership. He is the more expensive version of Kuyt of Liverpool. He work hard like Dirk but he lack finishing touch. He should never had gone to Man U. His game has gone backward at Man U. England fan call him "white pele", if he is pele than Fowler was Pele times 2.

[Tom]

The reason Ronaldo spends more time in the oppositions half than his own because he's much more effective there. It annoys me when people try to call him lazy, it's Ferguson who tells him where to play. When United play away against some of the bigger teams in Europe we might only get onw or two good chances. Ronaldo is much more likley to put the ball in the net.

[Hilson M.Breckenfeld Filho]

man it's are bad idea hold on cristiano ronaldo agaist will,this boy are a great football player despite his head like a stormy;the red devils will pay for that and the finger point to mr.coach cause forget thinky in team.

[Arthur]

We have heard it all before about what Rooney is going to do. I can't remember the last time he had a good game for Man Utd or England. He has definitley gone off the boil the last couple of seasons and if he was going to be a world class player he would be there by now. Seems more of a busted flush. Lets hope I am proved wrong.

[sheron godfred]

rooney is an integral man in any team,but remember football ain't an individual's game.
but when you take a team as strong as manchester united rooney is always a key to its success ahead

[Matt]

Rooney has the skills, attributes and potential to do for United what Ronaldo did for Real and Brasil. If our Ronaldo does leave, I am sure Rooney will shine even brighter!

[Brendan]

The best thing for United would be to say thank you Madrid and take the stupid amount of money they look willing to pay for the Portuguese and let Wayne and Carlos shine

Before all of the will he wont he go started I was growing tired of Ronaldos antics never tracking back sitting on his backside in the opposition box if things did not go his way.

20 fewer goals last season and I think many match going reds would be wanting him to go

[Nick]

You paint Wayne as "a mercurial, loyal hero"?

This is the guy who couldn't stay loyal to the team that he was utterly devoted to for his whole life.

Both are modern footballers, they follow the money. If United went down the tubes (as they might with a new manager in a few years), Rooney would be off to the highest bidder in a flash. He has shown his true colours with his treatment of Everton.

If only he was as good a man as he is a footballer.

[Marc Melander]

Rooney looks at least 2 stone overweight. Perhaps it's a special diet designed to stop him chasing and swearing at referee's ?

[Ryan Ertell]

Ronaldo was utterly functionless last year when rooney wasn't playing. Anyone who really knows about football has long since recognised that rooney is the centre of all utd do. Ronaldo is the ultimate craftsman but rooney is a genius. His vision and passing are unequalled anywhere in football

[Richard]

Is Tevez any good at left back?
Stupid question!
He is great in any position as he is a bird dog around the ball.
If he gets a good pass he will convert. If he has to wait in vain in the shadows for Prima dona Ronaldo to finally make a pass he will not score often. Get rid of Ronaldo and let Rooney and Tevez shine.

[Richard]

"compensating for Ronaldo’s inability to leave the opposition half" Finally someone who talks some sense. All season in Europe away Rooney played left wing with Ronaldo through the middle because he refuses to track back. I posted a similar comment about Ronaldo on a times article (I think I was adverse to Tony Cascarino comparing his workrate to that of Bryan Robson) after the Roma game and was treated like a heratic for daring to say that Number 7 could do any wrong. Hope the Rooney of 2004 will be lighting up Old Trafford this season.....