Rooney coming of age..

‘Remember the name, Wayne Rooney’. Any self respecting football fan will recall the words of Clive Tyldesley on the day a star was born. Against an Arsenal side undefeated in thirty fixtures, Wayne Rooney plucked the ball out of the air with consummate ease and delivered a bending shot past David Seaman to win the game for Everton in injury time. The boy from Merseyside was 5 days shy of his 17th birthday; he was on 80 quid a week. Everything changed. Forget putting yourself on the map, he became the map. And with it came the inevitable pressures and expectations of being an exciting English prospect. He’s the one; better than Owen, the best since Gazza. He could be as good as Maradona… he’s the white Pele. England are going to win the World Cup. Just a few of the assumptions Wayne Rooney created as he burst onto the scene with that goal. It’s hard to believe the mercurial talent is still only 24 but, as he enjoys the richest vein of goal scoring form in his career, is he announcing himself as one of the world’s greatest?

Having guided his club to another Wembley final with a last gasp header to defeat rivals Manchester City, Sir Alex Ferguson last night described Rooney as “truly world class”. A tremendous accolade to a player that appears to be revelling in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, with Rooney’s goals this season proving he thrives on the extra responsibility. Following his meteoric rise at Goodison Park, Rooney found himself on Ferguson’s shopping list at just 18 years old, albeit due to what now seems like a comical bid from Newcastle that forced United’s hand. Rooney had just returned from Euro 2004 whereby personal (if not national) success had persuaded Sir Alex he was worth the £30 million asking price. 4 goals in as many games let the whole football world know who Wayne Rooney was, before injury cruelly ruined his, and undoubtedly, England’s campaign. The man was raw, fearless. His United career began in similar vein; a champions league hat-trick on debut as he finished top scorer, although he had to settle for no silverware. However, in recent seasons, although his form has never dipped enough to warrant any genuine criticism, he has been a victim of expectation. We all wanted to see England have a world beater; he wasn’t quite there yet.

Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, was. While Wayne Rooney suffered the pain of a broken metatarsal for the second time, and a subsequent race against time to be fit for the World Cup, Ronaldo was about to propel himself to the summit of world football. Ronaldo began to stamp his authority on the game at the highest level during Germany 2006; Rooney ended up having an early bath, as England endured an early exit. “Please don’t kill Wayne Rooney, he is the golden boy of English football” were Sven’s parting words as England boss, and here started a transitional few years for the boy wonder Rooney. Now playing in the best Manchester United side in a decade, Rooney was about to achieve great domestic success. He has won 3 league titles, a Champions League and a League Cup in the last 3 years, averaging 15 league goals a season. However despite such success, niggling doubts remained as to whether he could achieve the potential he had shown in his teens. He was beating less men, his long range goals were no longer an every week occurrence. Throughout this period, Ronaldo was the most feared player on the planet; 65 goals in 2 seasons from a winger speaks for itself. Rooney had less responsibility than he had been accustomed to and took on a selfless task for the good of the team, as Ronaldo assumed a free role in any team selected. Rooney displayed a maturity far beyond his tender years throughout frustrating spells, not least when he was played out of position and substituted in both Champions League finals in the previous 2 years.

Now in a World Cup year and with Ronaldo at Madrid, Rooney has reaffirmed everyone’s belief in his abilities. Ronaldo left Old Trafford and the general consensus was that Rooney would take on the added responsibility. He hasn’t disappointed, with 21 goals already this season the only reason Manchester United’s evident problems haven’t been more prevalent. His all-round game is currently as good as it ever has been, and dare I say as good as any other striker in the world. He won’t stop Chelsea winning the league, but lets all pray England have their very own Roonaldo this summer!

Carlos' Journey

Carlos Tevez grabbed the back pages of every newspaper yesterday, so why not mention him here? A stunning hat-trick for the in-form Argentine put paid to a poor Blackburn side and propelled Manchester City into the much coveted fourth champions league spot. So after his controversial move across Manchester, is Tevez starting to prove worthy of his £30 million price tag?

The tenacious forward has not endured a particularly normal life; affectionately named ‘Apache’ in Argentina in reference to his upbringing in the trying surroundings of Fuerta Apache, he has come a long way. Fuerta Apache is one of the most dangerous slums in Buenos Aires with high crime rates and a population of over 17,000 in just 4,000 residences. Football was his only way out. A fact emphasised by his infectious work rate. Tevez now finds himself in starkly contrasting circumstances... but what a journey he’s taken!

Tevez began his career at Boca Juniors, the club he supported as a boy. During his three seasons at La Bombanera he won the Copa Libertadores, the Copasudamericana and the Intercontinental Cup. An impressive record for the much revered ‘Apache’ but no league title, something that Tevez himself alludes to. Although quotes attributed to him this season regarding retirement were presumably tongue in cheek, Tevez points to a title with Boca (along with the World Cup with Argentina, of course) as his career goals. If he was to decide on a return to his native Argentina and play out his days at Boca, who could blame him?

Tevez has been one of very few players in the modern game uniquely owned by a company, not the club he’s representing. However, ever since Tevez’ commitment to Media Sports Investment and in particular Anglo-Iranian Kia Joorabchian, he has endured nothing but turbulence and controversy. Having been pushed into a shock move to Brazilian giants Corinthians in 2004, Tevez later refused to play and demanded a move, allowing MSI to cash in once again. Tevez was a commodity, an object used for the benefit of those who owned him. Parallels can be made with the way Tevez’ national team coach Diego Maradona (whom Tevez described as the 21st century prophet) was treated throughout his career. Ill advising and little consideration for his own needs often left Maradona the unfortunate victim of his own controversy. However Tevez, like his hero, has battled to pursue success doing what he loves most.

Next stop for ‘Apache’ was Upton Park. I doubt he’d even heard of West Ham; he certainly didn’t choose them. As news broke on Sky Sports of the move, the football world’s proverbial jaw dropped. The boy from BA suddenly found himself in East London; hablas Espanol? Still, at least he was accompanied by his equally bemused compatriot, Javier Mascherano (also owned by MSI). Following a slow start at Upton Park and with Mascherano left out in the cold, Tevez inspired West Ham’s great escape culminating with the winning goal to beat Manchester United on the final day of the 2007 season. Lifelong veneration at Upton Park secured, but it was Old Trafford on loan Tevez was heading.

Although the ongoing controversy surrounding West Ham’s survival seemed unfair on Tevez (illegalities in Tevez’ move to Upton Park gave Sheffield United reason to appeal), he had a highly successful first season at United. Partnering the mercurial Wayne Rooney, Tevez scored crucial goals to help deliver a league and Champions League double. However, the signing of Dimitar Berbatov left Tevez warming the bench in his second season at Old Trafford and after relations soured between Tevez’ advisors and the club, Tevez waved farewell to his adoring fans with another Premier league medal to his name. Sir Alex Ferguson went on record saying he didn’t believe Carlos Tevez was worth the £30 million required for his signature; cue a shock move across Manchester to bitter rivals City, where Tevez would finally be free of the stranglehold of MSI.

Yet again Tevez has won over the fans with not only a bulldog-like work rate but a goal ratio to boot. 12 goals in 19 games and 10 in his last 7 suggests he was worth the big money. By my book, or more United’s debt ridden books, Ferguson simply couldn’t afford him. And with Owen and Berbatov regularly firing blanks, how they might miss him.