United's centre-back crisis: Free the youth

Sir Alex Ferguson has to deal with elimination from the Champions' League during the Group stages for only the second time in a decade. He will chase his thirteenth Premier League title and first Europa League wins without his best defender, after it was confirmed today that centre-half Nemanja Vidic will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

First up for the Manchester United manager is to decide on a new first-choice pair of central defenders. In channelling former mind-games patsy Rafael Benitez, he has experimented with rotating his players and the club has featured several partnerships already this season. After the Red Devils' 6-1 tonking at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester City - and injury to the elegant Chris Smalling - Ferguson elected to return to defensive basics by frequently deploying Vidic and Ferdinand.

Eighteen months ago, this coupling was probably the world's best. Wile still effective this season they have hardly been the domineering force of years past this season: Ferdinand has obviously slowed and now Vidic will be out for the foreseeable future. With Smalling and Phil Jones playing well this season, Ferdinand attracting transfer interest - most notably from the Chicago Fire and Spurs - and now Vidic, the future beckons for a callow Red Devil defence.

There are four available central defenders from Ferguson to choose a first-choice pair from.: Ferdinand, Jones, Smalling and Ferguson project/bugbear Jonny Evans. One this is for certain: barring indiscipline, the youthful trio will likely feature in some capacity in each of United's remaining games due to Ferdinand's china-plate legs and back. The possible combinations are as follows:

Ferdinand and Smalling:
Features the assured ball-player in Ferdinand and the man Ferguson recruited to succeed him. The manager seems to think either Vidic or Ferdinand is needed in the lineup to compete against the best offences in Europe and indeed, the Premiership, while Smalling seems to be more comfortable as a designated defender than Jones. This partnership has a lot to offer, and could be the one deployed for games against "big" opposition.

Ferdinand and Jones:
Jones has been used in many capacities already in his first season at Old Trafford: on the right, as a defensive midfielder, at right back, as a barnstorming box-to-box midfielder and finally as a roaming centre-back. Given his newfound (since the City loss) conservatism, it's likely Ferguson covets this versatility and won't want to tie him down to one particular role. Jones could be the only Englishman capable of playing as the libero role, but it's unlikely he'll receive the freedom to do so with United's current staid mindset.

Ferdinand and Evans:
Good grief, no. It's not that either are ad players - in my opinion, Evans is moderately underrated - but both lack legspeed and appear increasingly prone to defensive errors.

Evans and Smalling:
Perhaps more likely than one would first think. Evans has a certain combative nature perhaps lacking in the which the more reserved Smalling. He's also more positionally aware in the defensive game than Jones, however doesn't bring the distribution - or engine - of his younger compatriots. His propensity for dismissal is his greatest technical hole. If SAF prefers to pair a np-frills defender with a distributor rather than two more defensive backs, this may be his best bet.

Evans and Jones:
Given a certain stickiness of foot from Evans and Jones' natural offensive game, this partnership is perhaps one of the least likely possible combinations. This partnership would require Ferguson to open the floodgates, which, considering the disabled list currently features playmakers Cleverley, Anderson, Berbatov and Chicharito, is hardly likely.

Smalling and Jones:
Eight weeks ago this was the centre-back combination of the future. Now, even after Smalling's injury and Ferguson using Jones everywhere between Rooney and De Gea, this still reeks of potential. What is less certain, though, is if that potential will be realised as a centre-half combination. It would require empowerment from the gaffer akin to saying "Boys, you're my club's future, do what you do best". Ferguson has a history of doing this - c.f. You can't win anything with kids - but it's usually more calculated and occurs at the season's start.

While each combination has positives and negatives, it behoves Ferguson to employ his two prized young defenders at the positions they were bought to play. For United to progress - not this season, but next and beyond - Smalling and Jones must be given the chance to step up

Rooney must play forward for United to succeed

Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons

Wayne Rooney's move into the midfield has won him plaudits. He played in a central role against Everton last Saturday and again in midweek when United hosted Romanian minnows Otelul Galati in the Champions League. It's no secret he is United's best player, comfortably leads the squad in "bastard factor", possesses the best creative skills of anyone on the team and, alongside the slowly-self-inflating Anderson, demonstrates easily the best passing range and accuracy.

Those same plaudits shouldn't be levied on Sir Alex Ferguson for deploying him in the middle of the park. Sir Alex, understandably, when faced with starting Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher again as creative-in-name-only hubs, opted for the Scouser and the Brazilian in midfield, in hopes of kick-starting a faltering squad. Fletcher remains the team's best midfield negator - it must be galling for SAF to think that his second best option is his star striker.

In this, his twenty-fifth anniversary of taking control of England's most demonic football club, Sir Alex should have earned the right to experiment and the respect of both journalists and blogosphere to cut him some slack. But moving Rooney further back the pitch is robbing Peter to pay Paul in a very real - and ultimately self-defeating - sense. With Rooney shielding the defence from downpitch, there aren't the quality talented options forward of the ball able to capitalise on his industry and creative skills.

As a midfielder, he plays very good long balls to width players Nani, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia only to see a forward corps of Berbatov, Owen (!) and Chicharito (for all his wonderful goalscoring prowess) haven't been able to take advantage of the right spaces. Both Berbatov and Hernandez are great "fox in the box" types and Berbatov's linkup play has been languidly fluid in the past, but he appears utterly shorn of confidence and guile. More poignantly, when Danny Welbeck returns, he is unlikely to combine well with Berbatov or Owen - the in-form England man's best hopes for a successful partnership rest on Rooney and the Little Pea.

As crazy as it would have sounded six weeks ago, Manchester United needs Wayne Rooney up front more than it does in midfield. Given a dearth of World Class mids, how is this the case? The answer lies in health: Tom Cleverley is still to return fully from injury, Darren Fletcher continues to recover from illness/injury/zombification and Ryan Giggs has featured as often as one would expect any other 38-year old to play. Last year, much of United's creativity came from the wing play of Nani and, when healthy, Valencia. It's time to entrust them - and new boy Young - with reinvigorating United's staid and stagnant offense.

Ferguson hasn't taken this decision lightly and he isn't channelling Claudio Ranieri. He's fully aware that best results are obtained when playing your best player in his best position, ie. where he can do the most damage. Perhaps the difficulty is in that still no-one knows what Wayne Rooney's best position is - including Wayne Rooney. It's unquestionably as a forward, but of what type? As target man, trequartista or playing closely off said target man? For United he is too often the locus of focus; for England he has played best working with bulkiers player like Emile Heskey. When allowed to do his thing, he plays spectacular football - and did so earlier this season in partnership with Welbeck.

No matter what reasons exist for the switch, this is likely to be a short-term move for England's best player. When the United squad regains full fitness, Ferguson may be able to pull his Rooney out of the dike. United's depth, so vaunted only weeks ago, remains untested and possibly even fragile at the highest levels. Manchester City gain breathing space with every steam-rolled scalp they collect. If year twenty-five is to bring about title thirteen, Rooney must play forward.

Balanced Sports on ManUtd Talk: A United Season Preview

Balanced Sports' Matthew Wood has the cover story on manutdtalk, one of the largest and most-trafficked Manchester United fan sites in the world.

A preview of the reigning titleholders' 2011-12 season, you can also view the article here.

Arsene Wenger: trying times under the wage-cap

As his fief struggles under the weight of a popular uprising, Arsene Wenger's reign from a high castle somewhere in the vicinity of Highbury appears destined to begin a decline. He has reigned justly and in the beauty of esoteric splendour for fifteen years in North London but appears unable to still this latest unrest.

Very few managers in the game have his alchemical ability to consistently synthesise young superstars from mere talent. Over the past decade that talent has most notably taken the form of Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere, Robin van Persie, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri. Clichy has departed while popular punditry appear in accord that it is a matter of "when" and not "if" Fabregas and Nasri join them. Wenger has sold some of his charges willingly, such as when Thierry Henry and Aliaksandr Hleb departed Arsenal to join Barcelona. Others, like Nasri, he appears to want to keep close.

courtesy: en.wikipedia.org

As yet more Spanish players declare publicly Fabregas' burgeoning desire to play for his Catalan home club, Wenger's media comments seem more aggravated and weary than inspired. Considering his Northern nemesis, Sir Alex Ferguson, has never played the media or public better than when Wayne Rooney announced he wanted out of United in October last year, this may be a poor portent indeed.  The Rooney incident was over within ten days. Sir Alex's form as two years of Cristiano Ronaldo transfer rumours persisted was to become increasingly bombastic ("I wouldn't sell that mob a virus"). It seems Wenger has passed that stage (of grief?) and is now simply tired.

His more powerful declaration yesterday that "Big clubs don't sell their stars" is, for the most part, true. He has fought for three summers to retain captain Fabregas, while very few other global superstars move clubs without the vendors receiving way above market value. Unfortunately, he seems to be riding the misapprehension that Arsenal are a big club in the business of world football. That may not be true any more. Unfortunately, the Professor is handicapped by a wage ceiling, meaning he's unable to pay players more than ₤90,000 per week, comparative peanuts to the salaries doled out by the fiscal elite of world football.

While they remain one of the best ten teams in the world. that wage ceiling in itself earmarks Arsenal - a big, successful club with an enormous, loyal supporter base - as not being a member of the roundball financial elite. While he may decry "Big clubs don't sell their stars", it is without realising the fundamental fact that, until the new stadium is paid off and the wage ceiling disappears, the Gunners will be forced to sell their best players as they demand pay rises.  Financially, Arsenal aren't in the top five in the world (top ten, even) - meaning competing with cash-flush heavyweights automatically becomes that much more difficult.

Emirates stadium was designed to make Arsenal an economic superpower in the football world. In concert with continued investment from Stan Kroenke, the club may once again enter the elite echelon of football-nomics. But the precedents set by Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City mean there is now a two-tier system even within the richest of the rich in football. And though Arsenal are among the wealthiest clubs in the world, they aren't a member of that select "billionaire's row".

Gooners should hope Wenger is not losing his fire, for to maintain their grip on the top four facing harsher mercantile realities than their competition, Arsenal will need him at his absolute best.

Paul Scholes Retires

Paul Scholes has retired and suddenly, Manchester United's summer transfer activity has become much more frantic. The Great Ginger One has been irreplaceable for nearly twenty years and it is now that Sir Alex is finally forced to choose a successor. It speaks volumes of Paul Scholes that the search for his replacement will include only the world's very best players. They still may not fill his shoes.

That's because Paul Scholes leaves behind a very unconventional set of footwear. Part of his appeal has been not his wonderful play, but the combination of factors which made his career unique - endearing "local lad" status, a combination of skills ranging from truly sublime passing to simply awful tackling, his generation - the last of Fergie's fledglings, his reserved off-park nature and finally, most importantly, the fact he never rocked the United boat. Paul Scholes, while being amongst the best midfielders in the world, always had a great sense of where he belonged in the game: no transfer requests, no major protracted contract snits, no dramas. The Great Ginger One was a one-club man, content - and what's more - proud of it. He just fit in.

Paul Scholes' ability to pick out a pass may be his defining on-field feature, but that can be replaced. His innate knowledge of how to fit in around Carrington can't be taught, meaning his replacement is unlikely to go down in United folklore as he has done. No matter his onfield exploits, his mix of on- and off-field character means for a special place in the Red Devil army's hearts. The Great Ginger One knew how to fit in: to a system, a formation, a team, a brotherhood, a city and a family.

It's that knowledge of fit that empowered him to walk away when the time was absolutely right. As he timed passes, he timed his retirement. It's been obvious to all who watch United that the great man was slowing down, no matter how spectacular his first two months of season 2010-011 were. As much as it pains to admit, he didn't deserve a starting berth during Saturday's Champions' League final and even had his play warranted it, he wouldn't have been able to maintain the frantic pace for much over 60 minutes. His legs have gone and it's the right time for him to move on. For him to stay - which he'd be welcome to do, of course - he would perhaps hold United back.

Harsh words? Perhaps. Ring of truth? Unfortunately, yes. Scholes would have been welcome to continue - indeed Ferguson has tried to convince him to play on several times without luck - but to do so would involve Scholes' inclusion in United's 25-man squad and perhaps prevent United reinforcing the centre of midfield. Paul Scholes, with his innate "feel for the game", felt he could reasonably give no more to the team as a player. As such, the honourable decision was to move on.

When discussing The Great Ginger One, it's impossible to forget his skills. As soon as he burst onto the scene in a League Cup match against Port Vale in 1994, his armoury was nearly complete, boasting constant movement, a short-range game and longer passes which moved as if directed by radar. Add to that a fearsome shot and defensive ... err ... excitability (?) and it's no wonder Fabio Capello attempted to persuade him to end six years of International retirement and go to the World Cup at age 35. Capello thought him one of England's best centre mids: given the Three Lions' performance, he may have been right. Again, Scholes was aware of the fit, however - such a demanding campaign would have played major havoc with his (and therefore United's) early season form.

Paul Scholes will continue as a coach at United and for that, we should be glad. Don't expect visibility, but bet on improvement in United's youngsters. As Wayne Rooney said last week, "He doesn't say much, but when he does, you listen". Paul Pogba, Ravel Morrison and Tom Cleverley would do well to heed a man like The Great Ginger One. While his playing days have drawn to a close, his contributions to Manchester United are far from over.

Image one courtesy: http://www.soccerbyives.net/, second courtesy: mirror.co.uk

Geelong, like Manchester United, are the "Crap Invincibles"

Geelong's unbeaten start to the AFL season has surprised many. Even so, their gritty three-point victory on Friday night perhaps stamped them again as a viable Premiership threat. Pre-season the Cats were daubed old, one-paced and vulnerable not for any lack of skill - they still boast players such as Enright, Corey, Chapman, Scarlett and golden child Joel Selwood - but because they'd lost their best player and their fabled "window" was closing. Rumours of their demise have been greatly overstated. While many expected the Cats to fall from contention this season, they've done quite the opposite.

This is hardly a different viewpoint to some reports emanating from Victoria. The Cats still bear (most of) the fruit of a decade's intelligent drafting and their core, though nearer retirement than debut, may eke out another triumph or two. The Premiership may be a bridge too far, but it is now firmly on the Cats' radar.

This isn't the first time such successful renewal on the fly has happened at the Cattery. In 1995, nearly broken from three Grand Final defeats, Malcolm Blight walked away from coaching Geelong to be replaced by his assistant Gary Ayres. The former Hawthorn defender wanted to toughen a notoriously freewheeling and attack-minded club and got immediate results. The Cats hardened up and were rewarded with another Grand Final appearance that year only to be demolished by an irresistible Carlton unit. They made the finals again in 1997 - with a team many thought much improved over their mid-90s teams - and were eliminated after losing in Adelaide amidst the drama of Leigh Colbert's phantom mark.

These memories have been re-awakened this year. Rookie coach Chris Scott - in his playing days an uncompromising defender like Ayres - has revitalised some aspects of the playing group, most obviously David Wojcinski. He has empowered others, like Taylor Hunt and Daniel Menzel. But more than that, he and the club don't subscribe to 2010 tactics that then-coach Mark Thompson admitted were flawed. The Cats have begun to grind out results as if they've become so accustomed to winning that they have simply just continued this learned behaviour, albeit in a different style.

A parallel can be drawn from the land of tea, Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Who and Pippa Middleton. Manchester United were crowned English Premier Leauge Champions on Saturday, capturing their fourth title in five years. This triumph has been touted rightly as one of Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest achievements: his team - missing Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and (mostly) Wayne Rooney's form - clung onto top position relying on an ageing squad sprinkled with youth.

In 2010, United lost the title to Chelseas and pundits predicted a fall-off. The squad - with only one new player really contributing - went unbeaten into February, the equivalent of the AFL's Round 16. The ESPN Soccernet podcast dubbed Ferguson's mob "The Crap Invincibles" for their ability to avoid defeat yet look totally uninspiring doing it.

Although the AFL's answer to Sir Alex is working in his lab preparing to mastermind an orange outfit into season 2012, it sounds familiar, doesn't it? While the Cats have been impressive so far, the high-scoring juggernaut of 2007 is gone. Like United, Geelong has the enviable gift of being able to win despite their skills not being at their peak. They are the AFL's "Crap Invincibles". This isn't an insult - quite the opposite - their ability to get results such as Friday night's win (against a Magpie outfit they at times looked unable to cope with) is testament to their determination and smarts. They are achieving not because of what they can do physically, but because of strength of character.

Neither club's time-derived ability to win has died. In fact, though their squads are unquestionably weaker than during their pomp of 2007-08, their collective nous has perhaps increased. Injury time has become synonymous with a United rally and goal, while the Cats have made a (slightly annoying but understandable) habit of being able to overpower their opposition with a quarter and a half of devastating play. The popular adage states that success breeds success. It couldn't be more true than in Geelong or Manchester United.

Chris Scott image courtesy: theage.com.au

Sir Alex Ferguson image courtesy: simply-reds.blogspot.com

Ryan Giggs: Twenty United Years

During their 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Wednesday, Ryan Giggs achieved the incredible feat of playing for Manchester United for twenty years. And when he appeared to a generous ovation from the substitute's bench, Giggs equalled footballing immortal Bobby Charlton's United appearances record with 606. Think about that: twenty years! 133 teammates, ranging from the very best (Eric Cantona) to the utterly ineffective (David Healy). Forty -eight times he's been on the podium as a trophy winner or runner-up. That's just silly - and a convincing case could be made that he's football's all-time winningest player.

On a personal note, he's been my favourite player ever since that first season where United finished sixth in the old First Division. I'd only recently decided to follow football and the first game televised after that decision was a United fixture - I wish I could remember the game, but for the life of me I can't - so I followed Man U. Mark Hughes, Bryan Robson and Denis Irwin were the stars of that era but, in my first early teenage rebellion, I decided my favourite player was a young guy who showed flashes down the left, the most prominent a back-heel to Hughes just outside the box which led to a "Sparky" score. It was Giggs. 

It can't have been his debut as United lost that 2 - 0 to Everton, but it was one of his earliest appearances for the club. For the entire twenty years I've followed soccer, Ryan Giggs and Sir Alex Ferguson have accompanied me.

After some thoroughly unexhaustive but very fun research, that season 1990-91 can show just how different football is today and the changes in leagues that Giggs' career has endured and outlasted.

In that first season United won the European Cup Winners' Cup, a trophy since replaced by the Champions' League. First Division clubs included Crystal Palace (who finished third in their highest league position ever), now non-league Luton and the now defunct Wimbledon finished one spot below United in seventh. Now-Premiership clubs Fulham, Wigan, Stoke and Birmingham City sat in the lower reaches of Division 3, a league won by Cambridge City. The largest raise in club stature since that time, however, belongs rather unsurprisingly to Blackpool who finished the season fifth in Division 4. Wimbledon notwithstanding, Luton's demise is the greatest fall.

Notable debutants included Giggs, Watford's David James, Liverpool's Steve McManaman, Forest's Roy Keane, Palace's Gareth Southgate and another man to make the United flanks his own, Andrei Kanchelskis. Retirements included former United man Norman Whiteside and Liverpool stalwart Alan Hansen. The football world mourned (?) the passing of Robin Friday when the greatest non-league footballer ever died of a heart attack at 38. Liverpool were re-admitted to European competition after the Heysel Disaster and in remarkable symmetry, only eight days prior to Giggs' debut, Kenny Dalglish resigned as the Scousers' manager. That he is at the helm of the Merseysiders and opposes Sir Alex Ferguson seems very apt.

Stay tuned, as part two of our series on Ryan Giggs' twentieth year in the Manchester United first team will be published in coming days.

Image courtesy: http://www.whoateallthepies.com

Manchester Derby a Snore Fest

It was quite excitedly that I arrived at my local to watch Wednesday's Manchester Derby. For the first time in memory, I felt that United were perhaps the underdogs in a match that has perpetually been one of the centrepieces of the English Premier League season. Last year's contests - there were four of them - had three decided in added extra time.

So it was with disappointment that soon after kickoff I realised that this was a horrible match, devoid of excitement and totally lacking in energy and enterprise from the blue half of Manchester. Let's be honest and say that the Red Devils weren't much better - they showed more of an adventurous spirit but were lacking the final, decisive pass in the end. Sitting there, beer in hand, I couldn't help but think it was analogous to the early rounds of a boxing match: both teams were simply feeling the other out, not wanting to commit too much in case it left them overexposed.

Perhaps this is the way that Roberto Mancini & SAF looked at this match: early doors, not worth expending too much endeavour on. I'd suggest however that this approach represents what it is that Manchester City do. By employing three defensive midfielders at the expense of using only one player who can unlock a defense, it's obvious Mancini prizes stolidity above all else. Unfortunately it's also United's modus operandi at present, the Reds hampered by a lack of creativity from central midfield, theirs not so much by choice but by injury and terminal shortness of cash, by age and infirmity.

What else did we expect? More chances, sure, but did we expect that Mancini would change a setup that he's employed with good effect against other big teams? You can bet your bottom dollar that what you see is what you get with City. It's apparent that he'd rather draw taking no chances than lose giving it his best shot. With the red-nosed Scot he's had his hands tied by lack of funds, the disabled list and an ever-growing envy of the funds available to whoever the manager of the Citizens is this month. The stakes, for both sides, are now higher than ever. Instead of that producing the outstanding contests that it did last year, it's led us to this: a fear of failure.

Rooney's true colours aren't United's

I must preface this post with the following statement:

I love Manchester United. I used to love Wayne Rooney.

Now, to business. Wayne Rooney's actions before signing his new five-year deal with Manchester United have been just loathsome. He's spent the last six months agitating for a new contract, held out, slammed the club as lacking ambition, publicly contradicted his manager and now finally re-upped for a major wage increase.

To be brutally honest, although I suggested last week (link) that selling Rooney should be considered, I never honestly thought he would sign for Real Madrid or for Man City. The former option would involve him relocating abroad ("Does Señor want some chocolate for those churros? No Señor, we don't do baked beans here") and the second would involve verbal abuse for the rest of his life and, sadly, potential physical danger (see photo below). It seemed like posturing for a new contract until the doubt was magnified incredibly with SAF's Tuesday declaration that his star was adamant he was leaving. To read the "contract signed" headlines today brings what threatened to turn into a saga back into sharp relief: Wayne Rooney is a spoiled, childish athlete and we were fools to excuse his past actions.

Whenever Rooney's got himself in trouble it's been excused by both his followers and by United. Any problems have been dismissed as a bad combination of money crossed with his lack of years - a working-class kid with outstanding gifts thrust into the public limelight when not quite ready. Selfish acts have been attributed solely to capricious youth. We now know better. This furore wasn't a result of his thinking United lacked ambition or any desire to live abroad. It came down simply to money. Never more will we - or should we - look at his indiscretions and say "Oh well, that's just youth". Now we will look at them and judge them the sins of self.

Sometimes in sport, a player whose game is based on unselfishness is expected to live up to that

reputation outside the sporting arena. The most notable example is LeBron James. A truly unselfish basketballer on-court, his antics this offseason - remember "LeDecision"? - when switching from Cleveland to Miami were the epitome of a "me-first" athlete who didn't quite get it. People weren't upset so much about his team-swap but more the way he engineered it. With James, many were surprised because his sporting prowess is based on making others better.

Wayne Rooney - unlike celebrated former-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo - is obviously an unselfish footballer. He probably deserved a wage-rise. But the way he set about engineering it marked his cards permanently: by publicly slamming his club and teammates he became not an immature guy but a conceited one. His apparent apology to Ferguson and teammates is quite inconsequential. You can't say something, take it back and then continue to enjoy the full trust of your peers. Life doesn't work that way. From now on, United will see him as someone who was prepared to sell them out for an extra dollop of cash and rightly so. United will forgive, but they should never forget.

I will continue to cheer when Wayne Rooney scores. I'll also cheer when he gives off an assist, or marvel at his workrate. What I won't do though, is make excuses for him any longer. As a football-following public we've been too lenient with him. Even if his form returns to levels approaching last year all will not be forgotten, nor should it be. Fans don't necessarily have long or short memories, just convenient ones - we're happy to excuse players as long as they appear outwardly penitent and perform onfield. Wayne Rooney's recent conduct is something fans should never conveniently forget. He should now be recognised for what he is: a severely flawed footballing genius.

If he stays until the end of this contract or beyond, Rooney should be remembered as one of United's greatest players. All will be better, but it will never be completely right again. With his posturing over the last fortnight he's damaged his legacy and will now never be remembered as fondly as players like Giggs, Scholes or even as happily as someone who left like Denis Law.

I hope the extra few quid are worth it, Wayne.

(picture courtesy: guardian.co.uk)

Thinking the Unthinkable

After a mediocre World Cup and poor start to the season, followed by his recent disagreement with his Manager's assessment of his injury status, questions have been raised this week about Wayne Rooney's future at Manchester United. Fair enough too, given – despite management's insistence that they are not a “selling” club – their recent sale of Cristiano Ronaldo and, to a lesser extent Gerard Pique without adequate replacements.

Sir Alex Ferguson is dedicated to ensuring no player becomes bigger than the club – look what happened when Stam, Beckham, McGrath, Ince, Keane and recently Tevez and Ronaldo became too much of a distraction – to the point that it looks like he's protecting his own status as the biggest name at the Theatre of Dreams. Going back to the start of his reign, Ferguson has always rid himself of players he thought of as team cancers whether he was proved correct in his assumptions or not. Should this be true or just me philosophising is inconsequential. Rooney's form this term has warranted his dropping below Berbatov in the pecking order and it's plainly obvious that Rooney is unsettled and not performing.

Which is why the rumours that he could be off to Real Madrid have legs. Just examine the facts: an unsettled player, Real needing another Galactico to sign this offseason and Rooney the biggest name outside Spain, Rooney approaching the last year of his contract, SAF's tendency to shun the unsettled, not-quite-limitless reserves of Los Merengues cash and Madrid having a Galactico from every major footballing country except the enormous English market. Rooney's without question the best English player – indeed there's a convincing argument that he's the best English player since their World Cup victory in 1966 – and so the thought is he'd fit right in.

Perhaps it is time for SAF to sell? The frailty in the current squad combined with the Red Devil's terminal shortness of cash and the relative weakness of the Premier League (could you really see a Rooney-less United missing the Champions League spots? It's a stretch) means that a sizeable fee or cash-plus-player deal probably has more appeal now than at any time since their relegation in 1974. As a fan, I don't want him to leave United and I know selling sounds like blasphemy – I love his work ethic, intensity, ability and heart – but if the club were able to recoup, say, Karim Benzema, Mesut Oezil and 20 million Euros then the proposition becomes less galling and more tempting. Outside him directly agitating for a move which goes against the man's personality, I think it's unlikely that Roo will leave: he doesn't seem the sort to want to live a continental lifestyle, does he? But rather than just slapping an “Unsellable” sticker across his forehead it may be in everyone's best interests to see what the Madrid are prepared to offer.