Wayne Rooney - Always silencing his critics

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United runs with the ball as a scar on his right thigh is visible during the Capital One Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on September 26, 2012 in Manchester, England.

Recently, there has been a lot of talks about the fitness of MUFC striker Wayne Rooney.There were talks about his place in the MUFC side, with many claiming that he would be sold for some $50 million. Among the many UK tabloids, The Sun reported that Sir Alex Ferguson was unhappy with the fitness level of Wayne Rooney and was ready to show him the door.

However, like always, Wayne Rooney has put the doubts to rest. Soon after The Sun claimed Rooney was at the verge of being sold, he hit back on Twitter and vowed to stay at MUFC as long as he was wanted. His determination was proved, when he made his return from the horrifying injury which he sustained on his right thigh by the boots of Hugo. Initially, the medical team had set a target of 8 weeks for his return. However, Wayne returned within a month. This speaks volumes about his determination, grit and commitment to the game as well as the club. On his return against Newcastle in the 3rd Round of the Capital One Cup, Wayne put a solid performance for a player just returning from injury. He had a role in both the goals scored by Anderson and Cleverly.Its not the first time that Wayne Rooney has returned from an injury earlier than expected.

After his second or third season at MUFC, Wayne had fractured his right ankle. The initial assessment claimed that it would take Wayne at least 8 weeks to return to full training. However, with his determination and hard work, Rooney returned to the first team just after 4 weeks, surprising even the medical staff of MUFC.

In the opening game of the Premier League 2012-13, Wayne Rooney put up a dismal performance against Everton. Almost everyone started to claim that he was not fit enough to play full ninety minutes and seemed to be overweight. However, even the best players take 2-3 matches to get into their rhythm. When Rooney was dropped to the bench in the next match, reports emerged all over the world in almost every daily about how unfit Wayne was and that his relations with Sir Alex was strained. I even read that Wayne Rooney is already past his prime. According to me, one can never write off players like Wayne Rooney based on the performance of few matches. We all know what Wayne is capable of doing. Players like Rooney who play with their heart and soul, are very rare . As a MUFC follower, I have seen Wayne Rooney play for United at almost every position. He can be seen battling against even the strikers of the opposite team. Not many players have the will and ‘stamina’ to fight for the ball after losing it.

How often do you see a striker performing the role of a defender?

Several times, Rooney has helped out his MUFC defenders with some vital tackles and interventions. As a team player, I don’t think anybody matches Wayne Rooney. He has played for the club at midfield as well as forward. Whenever required, he has given up his final third role for central midfield positions or wider positions. This further proves how versatile and adaptive Rooney is. All the allegations that were put up against him, have now been proved wrong. In his return match against Newcastle, Wayne performed very well, and in the post match interview, even Fergie responded to that performance and said that he was happy with Rooney’s fitness and play.

I can’t wait for Wayne Rooney to form a deadly partnership with Robin Van Persie upfront. I think with the vision and understanding that Wayne Rooney has and the skills of Van Persie, we can expect massive number of goals between them. And as for as the fitness doubts regarding Rooney, they can be put to rest, because now, he is up and running.

In the match against Tottenham Hotspurs, as soon as Wayne arrived in the second half, you could see the difference. He looked fitter than any other player on the park. You could see his sharpness and determination to win the ball and the match. His combination with Persie was just irresistible, although a lot of credit has to be given to Paul Scholes. But his arrival made a lot of difference in the approach of the MUFC players, making them look absolutely ruthless in front of the goal.

Now, Fergie doesn’t have any other option than to start Wayne Rooney in the next match, and also choose him ahead of any other striker in the upcoming matches.

I look forward to watching Rooney play and silence his critics as he always does.