Wayne Rooney Returns to Everton as a Champion but Not a Conqueror

Looking at the 2017 photo in the article, I would have thought he was 45 or 50, surely not 31.

It's almost as though Rooney is being (unfairly) persecuted.

Whereas Beckham is touted for his Hollywood celebrity status, and his boyish good looks, Rooney is a dedicated soccer player, not like Beckham who is routinely profiled in tabloid magazines.

There are so many goals by Wayne Rooney that I will never forget: that crazy volley from almost half field (against West Ham?), the beautiful header against City in the FA cup, that volley against Newcastle...and the list goes on. I think he'll produce one or two more before he's done. Thanks for memories Mr. Rooney, a hear felt thank you!

Rooney should not be rembered only for his subpar performances for his country. He should be praised as an outstanding player for United.
I say this as a Liverpool fan. While he played for United I was very scornful of him. That says something about the quality player that he was.

I can't quite get behind this take. Rooney's resume is unmatched in english football and I don't see how you can take anything away from him or say he's been a disappointment relative to some unfair expectations. For comparison, I don't think anyone would say Zlatan has fallen short or underacheived.....and he hasn't dragged Sweden to some elite level either. Its a team sport and one guy will never win anything on his own.

From the view of pure talent, Wayne probably doesn't make United's top 3 or 4,( Best, Cantona, Charlton, Giggs) Georgie was always my fave. That being said the numbers alone cannot be denied, Wayne Rooney was and is a great player. Larry Bird may not have had the physical gifts of the other NBA greats, but his work rate, his basketball brain, his leadership, the sheer willpower,the ability to carry a team made him one of the greats. The national team issues are greater than any single player has the ability to overcome, Germany has a lot to teach old blighty.

I know nothing of Rooney, and barely more than that about soccer. But in terms of agings more corrosive effects, which seems the underbelly of this articles focus, here at +60 years on I'd say this I do know. I would wish for Rooney the wisdom to understand there is a time to play, and a time to move on to the next thing. Perhaps that next thing is coach or mentor to those who are coming up?. Take all that you have done, wrap those memories up to keep your older self warm, and set about creating a path for those who wish to follow your steps. There are worse ways to live the latter half of a life, eh?

John~
American Net'Zen

By no means am I a football fan, although Rooney has always been one of those players I can recognize on the field without seeing the number on the jersey. His shape of course; but more his relentless movement. But can we please get rid of this: "England is a country hidebound by class, trapped in a web of nuance and presumption." As an Englishman living in American these 30+ years, I can tell you that it just ain't so. Yes we have an aristocracy about whom most of us don't give a flying fig. If they want to look after our old houses so we can go somewhere interesting on a Sunday that's fine with me. Social movement in England is greater than in the US. We all have our prejudices, but please don't tell me that social nuance and presumption is greater in England than in the US. It's lazy "journalism" used to make a valueless point.

Farewell Wazza. There have been some amazing highs. That hatrick vs Fenerbache, the volley vs Newcastle (up there with the best goal I've ever seen) the equaliser vs Barca (threw my voice out), the bicycle kick vs Citeh and the penalty vs Blackburn to seal the 19th to name a few. That 2008 squad is the best I think i'll ever see. This is massively bitter sweet and has made me realise how much older I've become. Cheerio pal.

"In part, of course, that is soccer, and sports generally: unforgiving, relentless, pathologically averse to sentimentality."

Really? Football is "pathologically averse to sentimentality"? Maybe in a strictly business sense but absolutely and most definitely not among the fans.

The ambiguity concerning Rooney stems from the fact that almost all his club level success was achieved while playing alongside a Portuguese named Ronaldo. His failure to come anywhere near that for England is the fly in the soup. On the other hand, Rooney gutted it out in the Premier League while in decline whereas Beckham smartly escaped to Madrid to be surrounded by "galacticos" and remain "our flamboyant boy over there."

A great story written by a super soccer reporter.

I love without question two soccer players, Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney. The two have many things in common, among them a brilliant introduction to the world stage at a young age, immense talent, and the extremely heavy if somewhat unrealistic expectations of a nation (and its press) that believes all it takes is one player to win the World Cup. And they both just want to play; love to play. I was saddened to see Rooney pushed to the side this past season. True, his skills have diminished, but he still can contribute in a number of ways. I suspect that he never really knew what his role was supposed to be at ManU under Mourinho, and I don't care how good an athlete or 'professional' a player you are, if your manager stops believing in you, it has to hurt and affect your play. But I never heard him complain about the manager or, at least publicly, demand that he play more. He was a loyal Red Devil.
So thank you, Rory Smith, for your recognition of Rooney's worth to ManU and England. And thank you for pointing out the heinous class-based vilification Rooney receives from the England sports press for not leading it to international glory. Rooney's background, demeanor, style of speaking, and occasional actions make him easy (if sometimes unfairly) to make fun of, but for me that just makes him more endearing. I'm glad he's going 'back home'. I'm glad he's excited about it. I'm glad I'll still be able to see him play.

Some readers are miffed at Smith's column. But sorry, when you are considered one of the best in the world, the standards are set very high. I watched Rooney at the World Cup. He was always mediocre, as was the rest of the team. Granted, I'm a casual observer of the game, but he and the rest of England were always huge let downs. I always thought Michael Owen never got his due. I recall his goal against Argentina in 1998 World Cup.

Rooney's failure to get all of England's support over the years is likely attributable to his club play for Manchester - where his "physicality" bordered on (and crossed over to) dangerous play.

He is a brilliant player, and it's easy to respect his abilities. But his disregard for the physical welfare of his opponents made him a difficult player to like.

My introduction to soccer was while spending a month in Manchester during the 2004 Euro Championships. Having become a big fan of the game and United since that time, my "life" in soccer has always had Rooney in it playing a starring role. I have been fortunate enough to have seen him play three times at Old Trafford, perhaps the best being the first time when I saw him and Renaldo score. Regardless, while I don't really have the understanding of the game or it's history to comment on Rooney's place in it, he will always be someone I look to fondly for bringing me into the game. I wish him the very best as he goes home and with whatever might come after his playing time is through.

A legend. A team player. A great sportman. And idol for many young adults in Great Britain and elsewhere!

Nothing more to say!

How many trophies, prizes or awards has Rory Smith won on his or the NY Times' behalf? Do his colleagues and readers universally acknowledge he is ranked with the Roger Angels, Red Smiths and Ring Lardners of his profession? Is that the standard he wishes to be judged by, or thing fair? Probably not.

One in 10 million play a season at Rooney's level. One in 100 million can sustain a career like his. If that's not greatness, what is?

Wayne Rooney will rightly be revered as a Manchester United legend by the true faithful. For those of us who grew up in the British isles, steeped in the tradition of football, we understand the difference between playing for your boyhood team and paying for a team that wins trophies. Sir Alex Ferguson and United afforded Wayne the opportunity to nurture his incredible talents on a world class stage, surrounded by equally talented, committed team mates in 2004. The fact that he flourished under so many different teams , styles of playing and competed with the best teams in Europe and was stunningly successful is a reflection not only of his talent but his willingness to play for the team, which meant in some seasons sacrificing his own favorite position to another player - Cristiano Ronaldo for one. Wayne was beyond passionate about football and it showed in each of his performances for this great club. He created an unbelievable string of records, most notable scoring 253 goals United.

His achilles heel was that he was not graced with a lithe physique , but he was stunning as a player,a combination of sheer talent, force and touch . But he succumbed to some odd choices for a gifted footballer, occasionally fond of beer and cigarettes. His commitment to United was never under question and as a United supported since '67 I wish him well. I hope he gets to enjoy success with his boyhood team and bask in all of the memories he provided to the whole world. Go WAZZA !

Manchester United fans must be excited at the prospects of Everton's Romelu Lukaku as their go-to scorer now. He's a game changer. This sentimental decision could cost Everton the top half of the table....and could be an undignified end to a great player's career.

The money is well-spent. Rooney will pay his way with increased fan support.
Football,as we know, is more than trophies, It is sentiment, nostalgia and passion. Rooney can incite all of them.

No mention of of religion, only money, class and Liverpool?

When Mourinho took ManU job, I wrote here that he will bench Rooney. He did. It was clear Rooney will not fit in Mourinho scheme. There was no chemistry between the two either. I know he will be pushed out, but I thought he will end up @ Bayern or reunited with CR7.

There's no doubt that Rooney has faded but presumably the move to Evertyon will enable him to have more playing time and the opportunity to guide some of Everton's younger talent.
Rooney was a world class talent, but was unlucky to come of age at a time of two incandescent talets - former teammate Ronaldo and Messi.
What always impressed me about Rooney was his stupendous workrate - he chased down every ball and never stopped running. Age has an effect on that, sadly.
As for England's lack of success, there are plenty of places to lay the blame for that besides Rooney, not least expectations that are so high that they seem to cripple players when they put on the England jersey. It is worth noting that Messi has never won a title either, while Ronaldo has just one Euro title. Teams like Germany and Spain seem to be better at pulling slightly less talented individuals into a genuine team.

At the same time that Wayne Rooney is leaving Manchester United for Everton, just as his career is on the wane, Everton's biggest star, Romelu Lukaku, is leaving Everton for United, just as his career is on the rise. These are two teams competing against each other in the English Premier League, and yet the Uniteds always have the upper hand over the Evertons. Of course, this is the way the football world works--the better players go to the bigger teams almost as surely as water flows downhill.

This makes me all the more appreciative of the relative socialism of our North American pro sports leagues where, through the enforced parity of salary caps and drafts and a franchise system, fans have hope in knowing that, even though their team has had a run of futility, with the right management, support, and luck their fortunes can always take a turn for the better. It explains why the Clevelands and Nashvilles of the world can compete for championships, and why even super-clubs like the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys are not immune to down times. I'm thinking of how my Pittsburgh Penguins and my San Antonio Spurs--both teams from relatively small markets--have won the most championships in their leagues since 1991 and 1999 respectively.

And as a soccer fan, I'm first and foremost an MLS fan, not just because it's our league but because it's the most competitive league on the radar thanks to its adopting a North American model, to the extent it could.