Wayne's World - Season 9: Is this Rooney's final year at United?

“He’s asked for a transfer…We’re not going to let him go.”

Old Trafford bore witness to Sir Alex Ferguson’s last home game in charge of Manchester United. It also witnessed a final parting shot from the retiring manager on a subject that has brought about much discussion in the past week. After United’s typically late goal to beat Swansea 2-1 in a dead-rubber, after a stirring farewell speech from ‘the Gaffer’, after the trophy presentation, after the lap of honour, the inevitable question on the future of Wayne Mark Rooney was posed to United’s manager of 26 years.

Fractured relationship: Sir Alex Ferguson congratulates Wayne Rooney after he received his fifth Premier League winners medal following the match against Swansea City at Old Trafford on May 12, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Getty Images)

A ‘fresh’ start

Ferguson confirmed that Rooney had indeed asked for a transfer stating that he was looking for a fresh start. The request was turned down and Sir Alex made it clear that the England forward’s future at Manchester United was no longer his decision. The Scot has made the right decision by leaving this matter on the tray of incoming manager David Moyes. The decision is one that will affect United next season and should rightly be made by the man who will be in charge come July 1. The last thing any new manager wants is to be handicapped by any transfer moves made in advance by his/her predecessor.

For a long time now, it has been quite clear to the watching public that Rooney is not having one of his best seasons since joining United. He has been substituted more often than normal and perhaps the defining moment came when Sir Alex went into his side’s biggest European night of the season with him on the bench for United’s 2nd leg affair in the UEFA Champions League against Real Madrid at home. Sure, he has scored 13 goals in all competitions and set up another 13, which is not a bad showing in any regard.

But even the staunchest Rooney and United supporter would agree that it’s not just been the same with Wayne the last year and a half.

Moyes, who will take over the reins from Ferguson, already knows his first big action item as he will decide whether to give the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to Rooney’s departure from the League champions. But contrary to what many believe, this decision has nothing to do with so called vengeance on the part of Ferguson or for that matter the frostiness in the relationship between manager and player; not even the stormy past that Rooney has had with Moyes. The call is one that will be made on purely footballing reasons and United may be best served in selling their talisman.

A sluggish season

Sluggishness is one word you would associate with Rooney this season. The player has regressed from the lofty standards that he set from a couple of seasons back. He no longer impacts a game like he used to. Here is a player that used to take the game by the scruff of the neck and lead United’s charge. It was not too long ago that a half-fit Rooney started a crucial 2nd leg Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich after injuring himself in the first. The 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons saw Rooney at his brilliant best, scoring goals and being involved in everything good that United put up. But it has not been like that of late. The numerous substitutions late in games where United have been chasing a goal, speaks volumes. It would have been unthinkable a few years back when he was playing at a really high level.

On the wa(y)ne: Rooney’s form has been rather inconsistent this season for Manchester United. (Getty Images)

Rooney in a not too distant past was ranked amongst the best in the world. But his progress has stalled over the last few seasons and while he is still a very good player that tag of ‘greatness’ from has been conspicuous in its absence. The lack of sharpness has been apparent; easy scoring chances scuffed, dispossessed easily by opposition players and match fitness issues. Plenty of reports emanated from Old Trafford this year on Ferguson’s growing displeasure with the striker’s attitude and commitment in training, which led to his match fitness being in question. One must remember that Rooney has been playing for over a decade now, starting off as a 17-year-old and perhaps his exertions in the Premier League and Europe have slowed him down over the years. Rooney himself admitted in his biography that, “Physically I’ve taken a bit of a battering over the years. When I get up in the morning after a game, I struggle to walk for the first half an hour. I ache a bit.”

The replacement killers

What has also not helped is the arrivals of Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa in the summer. van Persie continued his red-hot form from last season and took no time in establishing himself as the premier striker in the squad. Rooney was the obvious choice to partner the Dutchman, playing just off the striker. The duo worked well initially and were one of the driving forces behind United’s early season charge before Rooney’s form slackened off. Kagawa had an injury ridden first half and as a result took time to settle into the team. He too loves playing in the hole just behind the main striker and when he returned to fitness towards the end of the season, the Japanese international put in some brilliant performances. In this situation, Manchester United and Alex Ferguson faced a conundrum on how best to accommodate these 3 players.

Even if this situation had not come to a head, United would have had a major decision to make the coming summer regarding the future of Javier Hernandez. One of either Hernandez or Rooney would have to be sold. The Mexican international has a staggering goal scoring record for his national side with 30 goals in 45 appearances. He is one of the best finishers around and has even scored a goal more than Rooney having made one less appearance (17 goals in 35 games). And for large parts of the season, the Mexican has been a bit-part player making only 6 starts, the same number as Anderson and Paul Scholes. Given the lesser time spent on the pitch, mostly as a sub, that is a remarkable return. In the big picture, the Mexican is too good a player to not be starting games and at 24, he is beginning to peak and will only get better. The Rooney situation may just have simplified the issue for United.

If Rooney is to be sold, ‘Chicharito’ could very well lead the line for United next season, with the trio of Van Persie, Kagawa and either of Antonio Valencia or Wilfried Zaha behind him. Moyes has been known to play a 4-2-3-1 formation and could employ Michael Carrick and Phil Jones in midfield to go with the above forward line. Danny Welbeck, who has shown good improvement this season, will be a good sub to bring on off the bench.

2 out of 3: Ferguson has struggle to accommodate all three of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Shinji Kagawa in the same side this year. (Getty Images)

The season finale

The game at the Hawthorns next weekend could very well be the last time we see Rooney in a United shirt. With him having handed in a second transfer request in three years, it seems the Englishman’s focus lies on a move away.

Some sections of fans booed Rooney as he came up to collect his winner’s medal. Football fans tend to be hypocritical and blessed with a short memory; this was a fine example of that and really something that Rooney does not deserve. Footballers after all are professionals, and if he feels that a change of scene could help revive his glory days, then he is entitled for it. The backlash on Twitter and the general muck that has been hurled at him for having requested a transfer is just a whole lot of balderdash.

Let’s not forget that this is Wayne Rooney we’re talking about. England’s biggest star after David Beckham, a true talisman at Manchester United. For a large part of his 9-year tenure with the Red Devils, he has come to epitomize the club with his performances and more importantly his commitment and dedication in games. Dimitar Berbatov, a very skilled player in his own right, invited the wrath of United fans because they used to witness Rooney work his socks off every game. The overhead kick against Manchester City and the hat-trick at Aston Villa in the 2010-11 season are to recall just some of the magical moments that he has delivered that have etched him into United folklore.

But as with many things in life, there comes a time when a player’s career approaches its crossroads and hard decisions need to be made. If that decision means Rooney plying his trade elsewhere next season, so be it. Manchester United should thank Wayne Rooney for his contributions to the club’s success for he has been a fantastic player for them. They would also do well to ensure that the process is not a long, drawn out one and one that is completed smoothly so that both parties can move on and concentrate on things to come. Rooney would go for no less than 25m Euros and the sum can be used to rebuild the squad.

2012-13 could well be the final season of Wayne’s World at Manchester United.