Wayne Rooney: A playwright at the Theater of Dreams

At 18 years and 335 days, not many would’ve expected the young British lad to score in the Champions’ League playing for the English football giants. But this was Wazza – a player ablaze with brilliance, a footballer at par with his legendary teammates. He not only scored a hat-trick but also made certain to record his name in the history books as the youngest player to do so. The football world sat up and took notice as a lotus blossomed in the English waters; a playwright was born at the Theatre of Dreams.

“He is the biggest England talent I’ve seen since I arrived in England. There has certainly not been a player under 20 as good as him since I became a manager here.”

One doesn’t always earn such an acknowledgement from someone as the massive stature of Arsene Wenger, that too at 17 years of age, unless of course he is Wayne Mark Rooney. Clearly a prodigy and a kid showing enormous promise, it wasn’t a surprise when Sir Alex Fergusson roped him under his wings. Rooney had always been slated to taste success, and now being groomed by the pioneer in the field of managership, Rooney’s adversaries had much to be wary of.

From an impetuous teenager to a matured frontrunner of English football – the emergence of Wayne Rooney has been nothing less than fascinating. Determination, perseverance and a no-nonsense attitude have been his companions in this long journey of evolution not only as a footballer but also as an icon of the Red Devils. The impulsiveness that’d been a core entity of his childhood is yet to dissolve completely as Rooney’s more than just a few emotional outbursts have landed him in trouble often both inside and outside the greens. Once sacrificing boxing to pursue a career in football, rumors suggest Wazza still boxes in leisure to curb down his emotions.

His obstinacy and straightforwardness have invited controversies more than once as one recalls his sending off in a Champions’ League match in 2005 for sarcastically clapping the referee who had booked him for an unintentional foul.

“Everyone who watches me play knows I am an honest player, I play the game as honestly as I can.”

As someone who has so diligently served the sport that is known to be both rewarding and crushing at the same time, Rooney surely has had more than his share of stains. The acclamation he had garnered all these years were too heavy to be uprooted by false claims and forged conspiracies, but after all the riddles that have scourged his professional and personal life alike, one’s got to wonder whether he deserves these. The sheer quantity if not the qualities of the troubles Rooney has had to face befuddles a footie fan who’s had enough trust in the generous nature of the sport. Then again, the God of Football has his own preferences, and Wayne was just unfortunate to land on his wrong side!

The flair, the excellence, the finesse of the Irish-born lad made him inevitable in the starting line-up of the Red Devils. He soon graduated to the much coveted No. 10 jersey last worn by the legend Ruud van Nistelrooy. He carried his marvelous form and the following year, his name was scripted as the youngest player to make 200 appearances in the league.

Along with his pace, it was his accuracy in front of the goal that rendered threat to his presence in the semicircle and made him ominous to defenders and goalkeepers alike. The blue-eyed boy of Manchester United was the one Fergusson would rush to during free-kicks and penalties. He may not bend it like Beckham but afforded just adequate swing and authority in his shot to bemuse the goalkeeper.

Once flanked by Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo, and then by Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez, Rooney maintained his stronghold with numerous goals and assists that brought him Man of the Match and Player of the Year Awards. However, destiny caught up with him – just as they say “Good times don’t last forever.”

Injuries plagued his career. Fractured metatarsals, twisted ankles sidelined him and brought about a relative dip in his performances. The once affectionate relationship with the manager was now getting sprinkled with tartaric acid and Wayne finally brought it out into the media stating his desire to leave the club. Quest for ambitions and the keenness of chasing goals didn’t visibly go down with the boss who has always believed in placing the club’s achievements above individual feats. Manchester United fans across the globe while siding with Sir Alex on one hand, also resented the drama on the other, and dreaded the possibility of losing another key member of Old Trafford.

A lot was yet to unfold as Wayne completed a perfect 180 degree turn (much like those he is adept at in the field) and signed a new five-year contract with the Reds, much to the relief of his followers. Little did he know then, perhaps, that he had actually forfeited his ambitions by staying with the club.

The very season turned out to yield Rooney the best goal of his career – an immaculately mastered overhead volley in the 78th minute of the Manchester derby – a superb goal that not only sealed the fate of the match but also earned him the ‘Premier League Goal of the 20 Seasons’ award. The year never ceased to be eventful as it witnessed his 100th Premier League goal for United before a two-match suspension ban as a consequence of his swearing at a pitch-side camera after scoring a hat-trick.

Despite two consecutive hat-tricks, Rooney failed to impress in the next season that cost United the EPL trophy. A new signing in the form of Robin van Persie and a simultaneous descent in form sidelined Rooney for most part of the matches. There have even been instances of playing second fiddle to the likes of Danny Welbeck. These, along with Sir Alex’s unsuccessful decisions of playing him in the midfield, injured his ego as a successful striker to such an extent that he handed Ferguson his transfer request once again this year.

With five Premier League titles, one Champions’ League, two League Cups, three Community Shields and one FIFA Club World Cup in addition to innumerable individual awards and trophies in his closet, Wayne Rooney has evidently set a benchmark for his contemporaries. Widely regarded as the best player in the English football team, Rooney has struck endorsements with the world’s top dealers. With a diverse and extended fan-base around the world, Rooney has undoubtedly surpassed borders with his skill, dexterity, aptitude and expertise in the knowledge of the game. His obduracy and determination, albeit have landed him up into troubles, have directed him through the austerity and brutality of a decade in the Premier League.

As his career suspends on a delicate thread with the appointment of David Moyes as the new United manager, one is compelled to be torn between two ends – the Red Devil devotee desires his presence at the club, while the Wazza aficionado wants him to explore a better career outside the Theatre of Dreams. Whatever ensues, Rooney will always be remembered as the lotus that flowered in the gardens of Old Trafford.