Over the last few decades, Manchester United has been blessed with some of the greatest players to have ever played in the Premier League. Goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards – the Manchester United faithful have had the opportunity to witness stalwarts in every part of the pitch.
But there are some who stand above the rest, considering their longevity and the dedication with which they've led their entire careers at the club. In that context, a certain Welshman and another Mancunian come to mind: Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
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United’s Welsh wizard Ryan Giggs called it a day after a tremendous 29-year playing career at the club, and he has spent the last two seasons as an assistant to former manager Louis van Gaal. It’s a rarity in modern football to sustain oneself beyond the age of 35, but Giggs managed to do it at the very highest level up until the age of 40.
The secret to this miraculous achievement was the fact that Giggs had to completely change the way he played. The injury plagued Welshman altered his regimen, with a combination of yoga and repeated beginners’ training drills, to overcome the muscular injuries which famously ruled him out of a tie against Bayern Munich in November 2001.
Scholes, with issues far different from the man who has made the most number of appearances in Premier League history, suffered from a severe eye problem. The Ginger-haired prince was ruled out midway through the 2005/06 season.
Both Giggs and Scholes made spectacular comebacks after grappling with their respective issues, both being marked by a change in position – Giggs from a speedy winger ghosting past defenders to a creative midfielder and Scholes, from a brilliant attacking midfielder to an influential deep-lying playmaker.
Now, another titan in Manchester United’s history has to follow the path of legends such as Giggs to save his career at the club – Wayne Rooney.
It’s an open secret that Rooney is not the electrifying 19-year-old who set the world alight at the 2004 Euro and even until a few seasons ago, but that does not mean that he has declined. His immature aggression has evolved over the years and he is now a commander worthy of the armband for both club and country. What he has lost in pace and dribbling he makes up for with his influence on the team and intelligent reading of the game.
Rooney still possesses the same hunger and knack of retaining possession as he did a few years ago. Granted, he has not mastered the art of playing deep as yet. But if the last few matches of the season are anything to go by, the potential is frightening.
Be it his glorious 50-yard cross field ball for Antonio Valencia to set up a goal for Rashford or him torching 3-4 defenders to loft a cross for Fellaini only for Mata to finish it first time, Rooney's performances in the middle of the park have been more than encouraging.
Rooney's vision and distribution are very much reminiscent of Scholes, with his vision being maximized to its full potential when he plays at the heart of the XI. Even defensively, as seen with a last ditch goal-line clearance in the FA Cup semi final against Everton, he has a lot to offer to the team.
The former Everton man's work rate was never a matter of concern; look no further than his pitch heat map for evidence. A little more experience in this relatively newer role and Rooney can reinvent himself to provide United with the driving force they have lacked for a while now.
With Jose Mourinho's appointment as United's manager confirmed, one thing is for certain: the summer transfer window is going to play a pivotal part in his first season in charge. And Mourinho, who is represented by the world's premiere football agent Jorge Mendes, will do everything in his power to bring in quality players to the club he's been auditioning for since 2009.
An injection of pace into the Red Devils' attack is imminent. And the prospect of England's top scorer leading and mentoring the talents like Martial, Memphis, Rashford and Lingard already present at the club, along with the new arrivals at Old Trafford, under a man who guarantees goals at whichever club he manages, is frightening to say the least.
Unlike former teammate Giggs, Rooney's injury record has been kind to him, and essentially he should not have a problem in prolonging his career at Old Trafford once he makes the switch from attack to midfield. And if Mourinho manages to get the best out of a player whom he publicly tried to sign a number of times, albeit a more evolved version of the Scourser, Rooney can certainly emulate his former teammates and lead Manchester United into a new era of football.
