Wayne Rooney

bucketybuck

There have been various murmurings in the United thread regarding Wayne Rooney this season. Some people say that he has been United's best player for years and is the only reason they are as high as sixth. Others say that his hard work covers up a lot of shortcomings and his continued use as a number ten is to the detriment of the team.

His performance for England last night was no different than his performances for United all season. A few times he dropped deep, picked up the ball and launched a hollywood 60 yard pass to the wings. These passes look good in isolation but in terms of team interplay they usually do more harm than good. The rest of his play last night was rubbish, its hard to imagine a Messi, Ronaldo or Aguero being so ineffectual and this wasn't a one-off in Rooneys international career.

Then there is the issue of "World class". Is Rooney world class? Many will point to the fantastic goal scoring record and performances in big games. Others will point to the fact that no other big club has ever been interested in him and the fact that he has never really come close to a Ballon D'or. Is he really recognised as world class outside of the UK? Define world class as this, if two managers picked two teams from the best players in the world to play a game, would Wayne Rooney be anywhere near the pitch?

I have created this thread to generate discussion and see what the general opinion is. My own opinion is that Rooney is a fantastic striker, and had he been played as a striker all his career this wouldn't be a discussion. But he is playing deeper for United and I think it is a problem for both, he has zero interplay with Van Persie this season and he simply isn't linking team play the way a world class player in that position should be.

Poll to follow.

Vinz Mesrine

You got it bang on, he is a striker and should only be played there. Unfortunately for him, RVP is a better striker and Sturridge is in much much better form. He should be benched for both England and United but that won't happen and you end up with performances like last night.

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

he showed last night that he isnt even a great stiker. he is a great "2nd striker" and thats it. Adeybourour had a couple of great seasons aswell and im sure noone considers him world class. Rooney has only scored more than 16 goals in the league twice in his whole career and hit the 20 mark only 4 times in all comps in 12 years playing regular first team football

he is not a world class player by any means

Agueroooo

Rooney is good but very overrated

Rooney is a fantastic talent and for me was developing and part of that special group of players of the same age/generation like Ronaldo, Messi, Ibrah, Schweinsteiger etc etc a few years ago.

but I feel those players that he was on the same level as a few years ago have now passed him by, and I dont think its cause of lack of talent, but lack of commitment.

I think the money has/had a big part to play in it.

Rooney is no longer a 'game changer'. Yes I would have him in my team in a heart beat, but unlike his peers above he cant, and does not have that ability of a true world beater- and again its not from lack of talent.

Utd will have a solid player in their squad for the remainder of his career, but I am really interested to see what position in the team he defaults to over the coming years.

brevity

Rooney is good but very overrated

Rooney needs a proper manager to get the best out of him, something he wont get with Hodgson or Moyes at their various helms.

Turtyturd

Don't think he would get anywhere near the best two teams in the world but I don't think that is just an issue for him, on the grander scale English players just aren't that good, and this can be seen in how few of them move outside England.

The main thing I associate with Rooney is unfulfilled potential....although that could be from the papers overhyping him when he came through.

Great player.

Are his best days behind him though?

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

brevity wrote: »

Rooney needs a proper manager to get the best out of him, something he wont get with Hodgson or Moyes at their various helm.

he barely got it from ferguson so i doubt its the managers fault. its more down to himself. maybe his attitude just sucks in terms of playing football. he doesnt look after his fitness which is obvious. he looks to move to a "bigger" club every chance he gets. when he realises nobody wants him he puts it down to contract negotiations. he is in it for the cash unfortunately. he is exactly like gazza. bags of potential that eventually turned into another top player but not quiet the best

wandatowell

Rooney is good but very overrated

Rooney is a great player. I love his attitude and desire to win.

Mitch Connor

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Paulegend wrote: »

he barely got it from ferguson so i doubt its the managers fault. its more down to himself. maybe his attitude just sucks in terms of playing football. he doesnt look after his fitness which is obvious. he looks to move to a "bigger" club every chance he gets. when he realises nobody wants him he puts it down to contract negotiations. he is in it for the cash unfortunately. he is exactly like gazza. bags of potential that eventually turned into another top player but not quiet the best

Under Ferguson he was constantly shunted around the team to accomodate Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov, RVP. Played at CM or on the wing more than any striker would like.

Rooney needed a team built around him to become the best he could become. He has never had it. The one season the team was set up for him he scored a bucket load.

On the other hand, I do agree with you that his attitude to fitness is very poor, imo. It has held him back quite a bit.

I would also say he has basically never had the consistency of performance to be classed as a World Class player. He is capable of world class performances, but doesn't get even close to that level of play often enough.

Also, himself and managers thinking he has a better touch and eye for a pass than he does (thus playing him as a withdrawn, creative, number 10) doesn't help anyone.

Giggsy11

bucketybuck wrote: »

But he is playing deeper for United and I think it is a problem for both, he has zero interplay with Van Persie this season and he simply isn't linking team play the way a world class player in that position should be.

Poll to follow.

IMO that's because of RVP. When Kagawa played with Rooney there was nice interplays between them and also with Nani but with RVP it's not the case.

Re the world class, very subjective. If 2 best teams plays against each other then out of Ibra, RVP, Aguero, Suarez, Cavani at least one would miss out and IMO all the mentioned players are world class. Not to forget Messi is a striker and Lewandowski is a great player too.

Similarly in the midfield, Fabregas, Kroos, Iniesta, Schweinsteiger, Vidal, Javi Martinez, Fabregas, Busquets, Modric, Yaya are all world class players but at max you can have 3 CMs in each team.

aidan24326

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Turtyturd wrote: »

Don't think he would get anywhere near the best two teams in the world but I don't think that is just an issue for him, on the grander scale English players just aren't that good, and this can be seen in how few of them move outside England.

The main thing I associate with Rooney is unfulfilled potential....although that could be from the papers overhyping him when he came through.

The best young English players always get overhyped in the media. Rooney scored that cracking goal against Arsenal and all of a sudden he was going to be the next Maradona. That isn't his fault of course, but it seems he has bought into his own hype to an extent, and I'm surprised that United fans have been so forgiving of his constant agitating for a move and looking for more and more money. He is a good player no doubt but not at the very top level and the new contract he has been given is madness.

Mitch Connor

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Giggsy11 wrote: »

IMO that's because of RVP. When Kagawa played with Rooney there was nice interplays between them and also with Nani but with RVP it's not the case..

Kagawa is far better at link play than Rooney is, which could explain why link play between Rooney and Kagawa was better than between RVP and Rooney.

bucketybuck

Rooney is good but very overrated

Giggsy11 wrote: »

IMO that's because of RVP. When Kagawa played with Rooney there was nice interplays between them and also with Nani but with RVP it's not the case.

Is the difference not that Rooney was the striker interplaying with Kagawa the no.10? Because that just illustrates my point.

Re the world class, very subjective.

It is, but lets not have that debate here.

Giggsy11

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Kagawa is far better at link play than Rooney is, which could explain why link play between Rooney and Kagawa was better than between RVP and Rooney.

I meant Kagawa and Rooney > Kagawa and RVP.

Also even with Mata, it looks like Rooney links up well than RVP.

Giggsy11

bucketybuck wrote: »

Is the difference not that Rooney was the striker interplaying with Kagawa the no.10? Because that just illustrates my point.

I meant when Kagawa played with Rooney and Kagawa with RVP. Kagawa with Rooney links up much better. So Rooney isn't the problem IMO.

It is, but lets not have that debate here.

I'm not, just that 2 best teams playing each other isn't the answer as few class players will obviously miss out.

Iused2likebusts

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Rooney has had a few great seasons at utd and was very consistent up until a couple of seasons ago. His constant positional changes havent helped him in the last few seasons but I suppose he gets moved around as he is always worth a place in the team without being world class in any position. I think a lot of Utd's issues this season revolve around rooney. I feel some of the squad may have the hump over the way rooney is now mooted as a future captain and being rewarded with a massive contract. Nothing he has done on the pitch or off the pitch the past 2 years has merited this. I also think the way football has evolved he is now not creative enough to play the number 10 role at the very highest level. Moyes needs to make a big decision in the summer as mata is currently a better no 10 than rooney and rvp a better striker than rooney. The most likely outcome for me is rvp being sold and mata playing off rooney.
Rooney is certainly not world class now but there has been times throughout his career he has deserved to be mentioned in that category.

Will I Amnt

World class is very subjective, I'd have him in or around that level if he's playing consistently in his preferred position.
He's a useless winger and an average number 10.

Mitch Connor

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Giggsy11 wrote: »

I meant when Kagawa played with Rooney and Kagawa with RVP. Kagawa with Rooney links up much better. So Rooney isn't the problem IMO.




I'm not, just that 2 best teams playing each other isn't the answer as few class players will obviously miss out.

Maybe you are right so - but I would have had RVPs link play as one of the main plus points of his play last year.

Whether the link play (or lack of it) is down to RVP himself, the tactical static setup of the side or Rooney is debatable I suppose.

Personally I don't think Rooney as the AMC link player works at all well - he busts a gut and can spread play well, but creatively he isn't good enough and his movement isn't quick enough or intelligent enough imo. This season the movement issues might be down to the tactics, cause no one is moving anywhere, apart from Kagawa - but no one will pass him the ball!

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

his work rate years ago was his best asset. it still isnt bad but he seems to have given up in that regard. just before Ronaldo won the world player, Rooney was probably a better all round player than Ronaldo. Rooney ran his socks off gave everything for the team and was often defending one second and involved in the attack the next. but when Ronaldo made a huge leap forward i think it affected Rooney. Ronaldo was switched with Rooney as Fergie thought Rooney did more defensively so he allowed Ronaldo to just stay up front. thats why Rooney was shiffted outside and that for me was the turning point. he still works his socks off but he is a shadow of that player from years ago

Rooney needs to grow up and get his act together. if he wants to be United captain he needs to stop this sulky crap and just play football. next season RVP will probably be going so hopefully for he and uniteds sake he gets to just play up front and prove he should be considered world class. so time will tell

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

Will I Amnt wrote: »

World class is very subjective, I'd have him in or around that level if he's playing consistently in his preferred position.
He's a useless winger and an average number 10.

World class

can messi play up front and along midfield? at a world class level?

can Ronaldo?

Gerrard in his prime?

Ribery, Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, Suarez

all palyers who could probably play most poistions and not look "useless"

i think that would probably be a good indicator of a world class footballer

if your "useless" in a position not too unlike your "natural position" then your probably not world class

lets be fair here. there is not much difference between a number 10 and a deep lying striker. there isnt much difference between a deep lying striker and a out and out striker.

Giggsy11

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Maybe you are right so - but I would have had RVPs link play as one of the main plus points of his play last year.

Whether the link play (or lack of it) is down to RVP himself, the tactical static setup of the side or Rooney is debatable I suppose.

Personally I don't think Rooney as the AMC link player works at all well - he busts a gut and can spread play well, but creatively he isn't good enough and his movement isn't quick enough or intelligent enough imo. This season the movement issues might be down to the tactics, cause no one is moving anywhere, apart from Kagawa - but no one will pass him the ball!

Yes. This season is not right way to judge any ManUtd player, thanks to Moyes and his tactics.

If we have to play Kagawa or Mata as #10 then I would rather drop RVP than Rooney.

bucketybuck

Rooney is good but very overrated

Paulegend wrote: »

his work rate years ago was his best asset. it still isnt bad but he seems to have given up in that regard. just before Ronaldo won the world player, Rooney was probably a better all round player than Ronaldo. Rooney ran his socks off gave everything for the team and was often defending one second and involved in the attack the next.

At the time could you ever have imagined that years later, when Rooney should have been at his absolute peak, he would be dropped from the team for the biggest match of the year against Real Madrid, and for it to have been absolutely the right decision by Fergie?

Richard Hillman

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

I do not feel that he is a clutch player. When there is a big game on, I do not have a full expectation that he will have a major say in the game.

mike65

He was embarrassing last night and that (plus Olympiacos) is all I can judge him on in terms of recent play, when he was subbed the whole tenor of England changed - Welbeck may be a squad player at Man Utd but he has good movement and can work across the front line and will also drop deep.

---

Lallana
Sterling---Sturridge---Welbeck

LuckyLloyd

Rooney is a great player but not World class or a football legend

Wayne Rooney has been an exceptional player for a very long time now. He has a good goalscoring record, but contributes to his team in many ways above that. A big game performer too.

shamrock55

Im the one who said he is not much good, in fairnes he can be good on his day but that doesnt happen that often, i just think he is hugely overated and i nearly pissed myself laughing when i heard utd were giving him 300 grand a wk, just goes to show how desperate they are:D

Iused2likebusts

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Paulegend wrote: »

if your "useless" in a position not too unlike your "natural position" then your probably not world class

lets be fair here. there is not much difference between a number 10 and a deep lying striker. there isnt much difference between a deep lying striker and a out and out striker.

I do think it makes a huge difference. Crouch, andy carroll ( not that they are world class obviously)wouldn't be very effective as a deep lying striker. Mata no use as an out and out striker. Players have their best position and by not playing there its understandable that there is a drop in performance. As I mentioned earlier I feel football has evolved and rooney just off a main striker in a 4 4 1 1 formation was very good. However in a 4 2 3 1 where he needs to be more creative I don't think he is up to it at the very highest level.

rob316

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

The worst thing that happened to his career was he had Ronaldo at united, he needed to have that team built around him but Ferguson has never fully trusted him. He has won loads but I think his potential would have been reached at another club. All the top strikers have there teams built around them, Rooney barring one season I think hasn't had that.

He doesn't seem the brightest and I think in turn his advisors have led him around the place badly.

He is in decline and the contract United gave him is madness. You wouldn't see Liverpool, Chelsea or even City pay those wages to a 28 year old who's best years are behind him.

Liam O

Paulegend wrote: »

he showed last night that he isnt even a great stiker. he is a great "2nd striker" and thats it. Adeybourour had a couple of great seasons aswell and im sure noone considers him world class. Rooney has only scored more than 16 goals in the league twice in his whole career and hit the 20 mark only 4 times in all comps in 12 years playing regular first team football

he is not a world class player by any means

So much wrong with this post. When Rooney broke through he was far more creative than he is now. When Ronaldo left he had to adapt his game to be the main goalscorer which he did to a world class level up until this season where he's still been pretty good at it. But sure let's go with the sensationalist stat that he's only hit 20 four times in his career. How many other strikers have done even that btw? Or have a 1 in 2 record in their last 300 games despite playing a lot of those with one of the best players and goalscorers of all time.

A lot of this thread seems to be Liverpool fans who will only watch him sporadically and are butthurt that he'll be shown precedence in the world cup over their golden boy Sturridge.

Milkers

Excellent player by English standards.

rob316

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Liam O wrote: »

So much wrong with this post. When Rooney broke through he was far more creative than he is now. When Ronaldo left he had to adapt his game to be the main goalscorer which he did to a world class level up until this season where he's still been pretty good at it. But sure let's go with the sensationalist stat that he's only hit 20 four times in his career. How many other strikers have done even that btw? Or have a 1 in 2 record in their last 300 games despite playing a lot of those with one of the best players and goalscorers of all time.

A lot of this thread seems to be Liverpool fans who will only watch him sporadically and are butthurt that he'll be shown precedence in the world cup over their golden boy Sturridge.

On current form you reckon Sturridge shouldn't be given precedence over Rooney? For the record I couldn't care less who plays.

Many of us will have seen plenty of Rooney this season due to compelling viewing of united's slide.

Like I said, he's an excellent player on his day but could have been the best. You will find most opposition supporters have the same view.

Liam O

Liam O wrote: »

time.

A lot of this thread seems to be Liverpool fans who will only watch him sporadically and are butthurt that he'll be shown precedence in the world cup over their golden boy Sturridge.

Liverpool fan here.

I'm praying Sturridge(or any Liverpool players) doesn't go the World Cup but unforunately looks like he will.

Plenty agree with me so not sure who is really butthurt(?).

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

Liam O wrote: »

So much wrong with this post. When Rooney broke through he was far more creative than he is now. When Ronaldo left he had to adapt his game to be the main goalscorer which he did to a world class level up until this season where he's still been pretty good at it. But sure let's go with the sensationalist stat that he's only hit 20 four times in his career. How many other strikers have done even that btw? Or have a 1 in 2 record in their last 300 games despite playing a lot of those with one of the best players and goalscorers of all time.

A lot of this thread seems to be Liverpool fans who will only watch him sporadically and are butthurt that he'll be shown precedence in the world cup over their golden boy Sturridge.

the world class ones do!!!

thats the point

and as for the golden boy sturridge he is by far a better finisher than rooney. he has shown that. but im not calling sturridge a world class player. neither is rooney

Will I Amnt

Paulegend wrote: »

World class

can messi play up front and along midfield? at a world class level?

can Ronaldo?

Gerrard in his prime?

Ribery, Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, Suarez

all palyers who could probably play most poistions and not look "useless"

i think that would probably be a good indicator of a world class footballer

if your "useless" in a position not too unlike your "natural position" then your probably not world class

lets be fair here. there is not much difference between a number 10 and a deep lying striker. there isnt much difference between a deep lying striker and a out and out striker.

Of course it makes a difference. World class doesn't mean you can play anywhere ffs.
A world class centre forward doesn't have to prove himself on the wing or any other position for that matter.

Nalz

Rooney is good but very overrated

Rooney is better as a no. 9

World class - well I don't know how what exactly that means but he'd be in the top 10 world wide if played consistently up top

As a no10 I'm not so sure tbh

rosskind

He might favour the 10 role but their are countless examples of him not contributing in midfield and leaving his midfield pair over-run. If you want to get away with two in the middle, you need relentless pressing from the front, the kind of style Liverpool are at. Rooney doesn't seem to be capable of that. With his and Mata's new contracts surely that means RVP is going, which should see him move to no. 9 where I think he's best.

Back when Ronaldo was there, you'd hear claims of "He might be a more talented player, but Rooney has a better work-rate/attitude" And yet if he even had half of Ronaldo's determination he wouldn't have fallen so far behind the group of world class players he used to be paired with.

mike65

Euro 2004
France 1-2: Won a penalty, but David Beckham’s spot-kick was saved by Fabien Barthez.
Switzerland 3-0: Scored the first two goals, becoming the youngest scorer in Euro finals (although the record was broken only four days later).
Croatia 4-2: Scored two and made one.
Portugal 6-5 on pens after 2-2: Limps off after 27 minutes with broken metatarsal.

2006 World Cup
Trinidad & Tobago 2-0: Rooney came on as sub after missing opening game against Paraguay with a broken metatarsal.
Sweden 2-2: Had a few chances during a lively display on his first start of the tournament before he was replaced.
Ecuador 1-0: Often looked isolated up front in new 4-1-4-1 formation as England’s campaign spluttered on.
Portugal 3-1 pens after 0-0: Meltdown as he is sent off after 62 minutes for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho.

2010 World Cup
United States 1-1: A subdued display, he shot wide as he looked for a winner after Robert Green’s howler.
Algeria 0-0: A wretched individual and team display, he then shouted down a TV camera, “Nice to see your own fans booing you”. He apologised.
Slovenia 1-0: Hit the post after a slightly improved display, before he picked up a knock and was substituted.
Germany 4-1: A second barren World Cup for the striker ended in a humiliating defeat.

Euro 2012
France : injured
Sweden : injured
Ukraine 1-0: Played full game scoring the only goal
Italy 0-0: scored in penalty shoot out defeat.

bangkok

Rooney is a great player but not World class or a football legend

mike65 wrote: »

Euro 2004
France 1-2: Won a penalty, but David Beckham’s spot-kick was saved by Fabien Barthez.
Switzerland 3-0: Scored the first two goals, becoming the youngest scorer in Euro finals (although the record was broken only four days later).
Croatia 4-2: Scored two and made one.
Portugal 6-5 on pens after 2-2: Limps off after 27 minutes with broken metatarsal.

2006 World Cup
Trinidad & Tobago 2-0: Rooney came on as sub after missing opening game against Paraguay with a broken metatarsal.
Sweden 2-2: Had a few chances during a lively display on his first start of the tournament before he was replaced.
Ecuador 1-0: Often looked isolated up front in new 4-1-4-1 formation as England’s campaign spluttered on.
Portugal 3-1 pens after 0-0: Meltdown as he is sent off after 62 minutes for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho.

2010 World Cup
United States 1-1: A subdued display, he shot wide as he looked for a winner after Robert Green’s howler.
Algeria 0-0: A wretched individual and team display, he then shouted down a TV camera, “Nice to see your own fans booing you”. He apologised.
Slovenia 1-0: Hit the post after a slightly improved display, before he picked up a knock and was substituted.
Germany 4-1: A second barren World Cup for the striker ended in a humiliating defeat.

Euro 2012
France : injured
Sweden : injured
Ukraine 1-0: Played full game scoring the only goal
Italy 0-0: scored in penalty shoot out defeat.

id say messi has the same kind of world cup stats...

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

Will I Amnt wrote: »

Of course it makes a difference. World class doesn't mean you can play anywhere ffs.
A world class centre forward doesn't have to prove himself on the wing or any other position for that matter.

so a world class striker cant pay in a different attacking position?

name one truly world class striker who would struggle on the wing or in an attacking mid role??

rob316

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

mike65 wrote: »

Euro 2004
France 1-2: Won a penalty, but David Beckham’s spot-kick was saved by Fabien Barthez.
Switzerland 3-0: Scored the first two goals, becoming the youngest scorer in Euro finals (although the record was broken only four days later).
Croatia 4-2: Scored two and made one.
Portugal 6-5 on pens after 2-2: Limps off after 27 minutes with broken metatarsal.

2006 World Cup
Trinidad & Tobago 2-0: Rooney came on as sub after missing opening game against Paraguay with a broken metatarsal.
Sweden 2-2: Had a few chances during a lively display on his first start of the tournament before he was replaced.
Ecuador 1-0: Often looked isolated up front in new 4-1-4-1 formation as England’s campaign spluttered on.
Portugal 3-1 pens after 0-0: Meltdown as he is sent off after 62 minutes for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho.

2010 World Cup
United States 1-1: A subdued display, he shot wide as he looked for a winner after Robert Green’s howler.
Algeria 0-0: A wretched individual and team display, he then shouted down a TV camera, “Nice to see your own fans booing you”. He apologised.
Slovenia 1-0: Hit the post after a slightly improved display, before he picked up a knock and was substituted.
Germany 4-1: A second barren World Cup for the striker ended in a humiliating defeat.

Euro 2012
France : injured
Sweden : injured
Ukraine 1-0: Played full game scoring the only goal
Italy 0-0: scored in penalty shoot out defeat.

To be fair when was the last time England were decent in any tournament, I wouldn't single out rooney.

mike65

bangkok wrote: »

id say messi has the same kind of world cup stats...

England and Argentina both have had poor managers in recent decades

rob316 wrote: »

To be fair when was the last time England were decent in any tournament, I wouldn't single out rooney.

True (see comment above) but Rooneys injury list is a concern.

Yeah I'd not put too much stock into world cups and euro's. He plays for England who are hardly worl beaters.

His Utd stats are impressive.

Stats however don't show two major assets he has, work rate and the desire to win.

Mitch Connor

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

Paulegend wrote: »

the world class ones do!!!

thats the point

and as for the golden boy sturridge he is by far a better finisher than rooney. he has shown that. but im not calling sturridge a world class player. neither is rooney

Rooney hasn't been played as the main striker for the vast majority of his career - playing second to RVN, Saha, Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov and RVP - because manager felt he could play the withdrawn role, and offer more defensively from that position too.

I would say, and I'm a big critic of Rooney, that if he was played as the focal striker for the majority of his career he'd have hit close to 30 goals every season, if not more. The few times he has been the focal striker have shown that - though the overall contribution to the team drops as he concentrates on attacking.

rosskind

Not a supporter of either club, but Sturridge 100% has to play centre forward in Brazil. Not that he will. To add to that list, not that it's entirely fair, but last time out vs Italy is the standout for me. England going 4-4-2 and Rooney, as 10, not tracking Pirlo who ran the show and extremely unlucky not to win (easily) in normal time.

rob316

Rooney is horribly overrated and not all that good

United's lack of a decent midfield for a long time now has contributed to him having to drop back regularly when he should be playing on the shoulder of the defender.
Ive seen rooney play and Ive said WOW but the trouble is its not happened enough.
He wont have long left playing at the highest level anyway, he has not looked after himself like Giggs, Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard etc.

Morzadec

Rooney is good but very overrated

World class? No, probably not anymore based on recent form, but he certainly has had a season when he was (2010/11 I think it was?).

Obviously Suarez is streets ahead of him in the EPL, and then the likes of Hazard, Ozil, Yaya, Aguero, RVP are all players that I also think of as truly world class, who have higher stock than Rooney at the moment.

But 'on paper' he is possibly still England's best player.

An absolute workhorse as well and a player that tends to rise to the occasion - he is not by any means a 'luxury' player and England need to fit him in somewhere imo.

Whether it be out wide, number 10 or 9 I feel he still has to be in the starting XI.

Definitely overrated by the English media, and too much hope tends to get pinned on him, but still a very, very good player who can be very effective on the top stage.

I voted for option 2 in the poll

8-10

Rooney is a great player but not World class or a football legend

mike65 wrote: »

Euro 2004
France 1-2: Won a penalty, but David Beckham’s spot-kick was saved by Fabien Barthez.
Switzerland 3-0: Scored the first two goals, becoming the youngest scorer in Euro finals (although the record was broken only four days later).
Croatia 4-2: Scored two and made one.
Portugal 6-5 on pens after 2-2: Limps off after 27 minutes with broken metatarsal.

I still think it's ridiculous that he's credited with that second goal v Switzerland.

Own goal every day of the week in my book....

Giggsy11

Paulegend wrote: »

so a world class striker cant pay in a different attacking position?

name one truly world class striker who would struggle on the wing or in an attacking mid role??

Falcao, Ibra as winger.

LuckyLloyd

Rooney is a great player but not World class or a football legend

bangkok wrote: »

id say messi has the same kind of world cup stats...

Messi's legacy will be tarnished to some degree or another by his International record though(barring him changing that this summer). He's probably still the greatest football player to walk the earth either way, but not having a signature world cup to your name blots the copybook.

Similarly with Rooney (and other premier English players of the Premiership era) the lack of real success at that level is a consideration.

Paulegend

Rooney is good but very overrated

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Rooney hasn't been played as the main striker for the vast majority of his career - playing second to RVN, Saha, Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov and RVP - because manager felt he could play the withdrawn role, and offer more defensively from that position too.

I would say, and I'm a big critic of Rooney, that if he was played as the focal striker for the majority of his career he'd have hit close to 30 goals every season, if not more. The few times he has been the focal striker have shown that - though the overall contribution to the team drops as he concentrates on attacking.

what does that matter?

he has played in an attacking position all throughout his career

Messi and Ronaldo only started playing center forward in the last couple of years on a regular basis. both players where playing wide the same way rooney was used a lot

my point is world class players can do it.

Rooney is a top quality player but he is not in the same bracket as those two and that is the difference between world class and not

world class should be an exclusive term used for the best of the best. it shouldnt be just thrown about about naming anyone. is benteke world class? papise? Sturridge? Giroud?

if the term world class exists then it should only hold a select few under its flag