WAYNE ROONEY MUST BE UNLEASHED

Alex Ferguson's team orders are shackling a great striker

30/05/2009

ROME-FIUMOCINO Airport. Thursday, late morning. A group of Manchester United dignatries are walking towards the departure gate.

"At least, we f***** turned up," bellows one sun-scorched, Peroni-fuelled punter at the posse of club ties. The implication being, of course, that the team had not.

The men in blazers upped the pace to a march while lowering their eyes to the marble. But not a single person connected with Manchester United need hang their heads.

Yes, they under-performed. But they were up against a truly brilliant Barcelona team. Up against a midfield pairing of Xavi and Andreas Iniesta - the like of which I have not seen in 25 years of covering professional football.

Did they try and kick them off the park? No. Did they resort to diving and dissent? No. While we are at it, have they won two Champions League titles and 11 Premier League titles with a thrilling, exuberant brand of football? Yes.

And further credit is due for the manner in which they took defeat. They were exemplary when made to stand around while Barca bounced triumphantly over every inch of Stadio Olimpico turf.

Sir Alex Ferguson led by example, making sure he was in the vanguard, conspicuously applauding every Barca player as the medals were collected. He then gave the victors the credit they so richly deserved.

It was graciousness so often lacking in a league that has come to consider itself the master of the footballing universe. So no-one at United need be ashamed.

Not Ferguson, whose tactics and team selection were unpicked with surgical aplomb by 38-year-old Pep Guardiola.Not Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, bidding forgettable farewells to the grand stage. Not a defence that was dazzled stiff by the glare of Lionel Messi's headlights.

Not even Cristiano Ronaldo, who had looked very inch the band member who yearns only to be a solo artist. And certainly not Wayne Rooney, the player who got worse the harder he tried.

Rooney was one of the most eloquent in the post-match media scrum, eulogising Barcelona and rightly cutting through the Messi hype and identifying Iniesta as the best player on the park - if not in the world.

But at this stage of his career, it should be other players talking about Rooney as the best in the world. He isn't even an afterthought when the debate rears its head every other week. Ronaldo, Messi, Iniesta, Kaka, Fernando Torres.

With his talent, Rooney's absence from the equation is a travesty. But events on Wednesday evening gave a painfully graphic illustration of why he is perceived to be one step down from the elite.

He is a victim of his own work ethic, a victim of his own belief in the team principle, a victim of Ferguson's reliance on his versatility.

Remember when - as an 18-year-old - Rooney turned Lilian Thuram and the rest of a celebrated French defence into nervous wrecks?

Even though England eventually lost that Euro 2004 game, Rooney's performance suggested it was not a question of IF he would become the best in the world ... just one of WHEN.

Indeed, Sven Goran Eriksson said at the time that no young player had made such an impact on world football since Pele in 1958.

Five years later in Rome and he is facing a team fielding a holding midfielder and an ex-United reserve as their centre-half pairing. And team orders meant he got nowhere near them.

They should have been Christians to Rooney's lion. When Gerard Pique talks about Rooney, it's as though a young adult is recalling the school bully.

His voice almost trembles as he remembers Rooney's terrorising in training. If he did any damage to Pique on Wednesday, it must have been when he bear-hugged the Spaniard long after the final whistle had blown.

Ferguson might point out that the system worked against Arsenal. But the Gunners were in self-destruct mode that evening and, anyhow, in terms of fluent possession football, Barcelona make Arsenal look like Stoke City.

(Talking of possession, surely the £30million Dimitar Berbatov's big strength is his retention of the ball. Wasn't he bought to be pivotal in the really big games?)

The proof that Ferguson can switch systems and strikers in less rarefied company than that provided by Barcelona is evident in their domination of the Premier League. But it palpably didn't work at the very highest level.

And the sight of Rooney toiling - as only he can toil - to try and make it work was one of the sadder sights in the Stadio Olimpico.

Fabio Capello will take care of the United striker (or left-winger, or left-back, or whatever) for the next couple of weeks and the signs are that the Italian has decided to play Rooney in his most destructive position - as a second central striker - and build the rest of the team around him.

Perhaps Ferguson should do the same.

Then next time, United might scare Barca rather than surrender. And Rooney might claim the title we all thought, back in 2004, would inevitably be his. The best player in the world.

Now get the News of World print edition for more from Andy Dunn

Your comments

This article has 12 comments

Great article but I disagree with...

~~make Arsenal look like Stoke City, Arsenal missed its best players for long periods last season and still managed to play decent football. On that day in Rome, Man U had already been warned and failed to take note, that they couldnt hold their candle to a team that plays great passing football. That warning came in their return leg draw against Arsenal in the premier league. Man U should have known that Barca would pose a bigger challenge and opted for a more direct approach with Rooney hanging just a few yards from the centrebacks.

By Topgun.. Posted June 22 2009 at 2:43 AM.

As a utd-fan... sell the ingrateful ronaldo... he is bad for moral... so please cash-in on him. Don't buy Tevez... he talks too much to media. His attitude on the field is almost as good as Rooneys, but his skill hasn't been good this year...

Build the team around Rooney... he cannot be squandered away as a utility player. Fergie is the best man-management coach in the world, but tactically he is very average...

By Tnt.. Posted June 7 2009 at 7:38 AM.

It says it all when behaviour which is normal for the vast majority of clubs - taking defeat gracefully - is highlighted when United actually manage it.

And as for "Did they try and kick them off the park? No", I can only assume Mr. Dunn was otherwise occupied when Paul Scholes performed the two-footed lunge for which he is so well known minutes after he came on.

By Rob.. Posted May 31 2009 at 10:16 PM.

Sell Ronaldo, he's becomming annoying! Ronaldo before the game on wednesday said he wanted to stay, but now since the loss, he says he is not sure where he will be next season.....Lets make it easy for him fergie.... Get rid.

As for Rooney, what a player, what a loyal man! Build the team around him in his best position.... Striker.

Fergie... sell, Nani, Park, Sorry but i think Tevez is not worth the money... And bring in Kaka who will leave now due to there manager now leaving.

give berba a good run... we knew he was lazy before we brought him... Give him one more season.

By Richard.. Posted May 31 2009 at 6:09 PM.

Rooney is being forced to play in this position because fergie cannot trust ronaldo to track back. Hence ronaldo up front on his own to accomidate him. Personally i think maybe now is the time to let Ronny go and re build the team around Rooney.

By andy.. Posted May 31 2009 at 11:54 AM.

made arsenal look like stoke thats a bit harsh on arsenal when they have their first eleven fit arsenal can play like barcelona they are definately the closest to barca the premier league has got. yes barca won but no body was calling them the best team when they failed to beat chelsea they had their luck and reached the final fair to them but they will not return the trophy every other big club are already making plans for them, and another thing their win serves the english media right to think they had man u installed as history makers before a ball was even kicked, man u were lucky in the premeirship and if you were to analyse the results that got them the title you will see. of cause its not their fault that other teams in league games do not turn up. to think man u claims the first goal against barca killed them in the tenth minute for crying out loud, cant wait for the new season.

By baba vatatenda.. Posted May 31 2009 at 11:42 AM.

Great article. As a United fan, I am amazed we have had such a great season despite playing averagely through the season. We never hit the heights and performed poorly in big games. Barcelona were great on the day, but I am sure United players could have performed much better than they did. I agree that Rooney needs to be put in centre stage and I think if United sold Ronaldo that would happen. I agree with the Berbatov comment. He has great strenght and an incredible first touch that would have been of value. However, the main player we have missed is Hargreaves. I hope he returns for United's and England's sake.

By Khan.. Posted May 31 2009 at 11:29 AM.

Glad that Barcelona's outstanding performance has been given its dues by some of the sports columists.

By Mark Davies.. Posted May 31 2009 at 11:21 AM.

Rooney has been ruined by Manchester United, it's horrible to see Ferguson wrecking all that's good in his game just to satisfy Ronaldo and his ego. He should have stayed at Everton and then joined a team that truly appreciates him for what he brings to the table. They've done the same to Tevez, now regarded world wide as a rich man's Dirk Kuyt with a 'good engine' who 'runs all day' - tainted.

Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldo Gerrard, Torres, Kaka. Rooney is so so far away now and has sacrificed becoming a great player to play for a corporation club with greed running through its seedy veins.

By Gunner Mike.. Posted May 31 2009 at 9:39 AM.

Very good article! Ive been saying this for a while now! One day in the future Rooney might wake up with deep regret that he never quite fulfilled his huge potential!
Its time fergie played him as a second striker who scares the living daylights out of defenders.
Im sick of seeing him play as a left back/midfielder!!!
Its such a waste of talent!

By Dean.. Posted May 31 2009 at 8:02 AM.

It is time to sell ronaldo and ive rooney the freedom he needs to show that he is the real superstar in the Unied team not ronaldo. He can do 99% of what ronaldo does but he has no down side (diving ,selfishness, prima dona etc) and is therefore a much better player. We need to get another player to replace ronaldo (ribery!) that will benefit the team and release Rooney to do what only he can do, terrorise defenses. Ferguson needs to realise it is time to move ronaldo on, just as he did with Ruud and many others. It will benefit the team. Just look at the interviews and body language differences between Rooney and Ronaldo, rooney is all about Manchester Utd, ronaldo only ever talks about himself. Time to go Ronny, Step forward Wayne Rooney the utimate Utd player!

By murphy.. Posted May 31 2009 at 8:12 AM.

rooney's brilliant...nd as a united fan i have 2 admit seeing him nd park play a poor game hurt.
i have 2 admit...remembering the hype when rooney burst into the international scene, it was incredible. theres no doubt the talents there, as he shows wen hez playin 4 england...however i agree with the composer and urge sir alex 2 let rooney out of his shackles!

By man.. Posted May 31 2009 at 5:25 AM.

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