Sport
ROONEY IN LAST CHANCE SALOON
It is not often you will find me feeling sorry for Premier League footballers, but I do have some sympathy for Wayne Rooney after the latest media storm, although he does find himself drinking in the last chance saloon for club and country.
Rooney has been forced to publicly apologise to interim manager Gareth Southgate, the Football Association and young fans following the emergence of “inappropriate” images from the weekend when he attended a wedding party.
The England and Manchester United star was pictured drinking and looking worse for wear 24 hours after the win over Scotland at a wedding party that was taking place in England’s team hotel.
But let’s put things into perspective the whole England squad were given the day off after the Scotland game and Rooney was not only the member of the squad to go out and socialise as a number of other England players are reported to have visited a nightclub.
It is no big news to reveal Wayne Rooney does enjoy a drink and a night out as it is well known that Rooney is no angel and that he does have his vices, but the overreaction to the incident at the team hotel seems to be blown out of proportion.
It seems Rooney because of his reputation and his role as England captain has borne the brunt of the criticism, while others who also enjoyed a drink at the weekend have escaped widespread condemnation.
Surely all professional sports people should be allowed to let some steam off, but for Rooney it was probably not the right time or place.
What Rooney has been criticised for looks tame compared to the past generations of footballers got up to on nights out and I am sure those old stars must be delighted there were no video phones or social media around when they decided to let their hair down!
I am not condoning Rooney’s behaviour in any way because as captain of England and Manchester United he should be an example to all young fans who look up to him and his behaviour however tame it was does not send out the right signals to young fans.
The timing of the furore could not have been worse for Rooney as he has endured a tough campaign and for arguably the first time in his career he finding himself in the unusual situation of fighting for his place in the Manchester United and England team.
Rooney has started just one of United’s last six league games while he was dropped to the bench in last month’s qualifier in Slovenia, but returned to the starting line-up as Scotland were beaten at Wembley.
What Jose Mourinho makes of the incident will become clear when he hands in his team sheet for Manchester United’s game with Arsenal on Saturday.
If Rooney is left out of the starting line-up, especially with Zlatan Ibrahimovic being banned, it will raise more question marks over Rooney’s long-term future at Old Trafford.
Mourinho has left Rooney out on several occasions this season and Rooney has fought his way back into the starting line-up, but the big concern for the former Everton striker is that his career is now at a crossroads.
His overall performances have not been up to scratch for the best part of 12 months and he could find himself phased out of the first-team picture by Mourinho.
Should Rooney seriously consider a fresh challenge elsewhere possibly away from the glare of the British media as despite his faults he is sure to have no shortage of offers should he leave Old Trafford.
However, it is not all doom and gloom for Rooney as he could end the week on a high when he comes up against his favourite opponents in the Premier League – Arsenal – this weekend.
Rooney, who scored his first ever Premier League goal against Arsenal, just loves playing the Gunners having scored 14 times against them and if he was to add to that on Saturday I am sure everyone connected to Manchester United would drink to that.
