[Archived] Fergie Set To Retire?

[Gav]

He'd be less likely to play at Bayern than Man Utd surely?

PSG is a good shout though, I can definitely see that.

Several weeks ago a French? agent came out with the Rooney to leave Utd in the summer and sign for Juventus story, he was rounded upon by the press pack on sky and many English journalists. They claimed this chap was promoting his website and seeking nothing more than attention for a story he'd made up.

Now Rooney may not end up in Turin, but I bet Mr Frenchman had 2 fingers firmly aimed at our gutter press after the announcement yesterday and good on him!

[thenodrog]

Are you using this years impending Real Madrid title as evidence?...........oh wait they are 8 points adrift having played a game more than Barca

Damn good luck for em that they aren't playing in the Bundesliga eh?

[RevidgeBlue]

Several weeks ago a French? agent came out with the Rooney to leave Utd in the summer and sign for Juventus story, he was rounded upon by the press pack on sky and many English journalists. They claimed this chap was promoting his website and seeking nothing more than attention for a story he'd made up.

Now Rooney may not end up in Turin, but I bet Mr Frenchman had 2 fingers firmly aimed at our gutter press after the announcement yesterday and good on him!

Rooney apparently doesn't look after himself too well during the close season and doesn't appear to be the player he was when he was 17 or 18 or a couple of seasons or so ago.

He's 26 and only has 2 years left on his contract. If they could get 40m for him now, it would seem to be the correct thing to do to sell him now from a business point of view if it was looked at objectively and without sentiment or red tinted football specs.

[thenodrog]

Correct. Pretty obvious to anybody that Rooney is on the decline. Sure he's a good player still but half a dozen years ago he was awesome and had a 'presence' about him. It's not quite there now. They need to sell whilst they can find somebody dumb enough with cash to burn. PSG / Man City ought to do it.

btw.... Strange comparison but he reminds me of Mike Tyson before and after he was banged up for a dodgy rape charge. He was still scary after but absolutely terrifying before.

[Gav]

Not want to drag this thread to a Rooney good or bad thread, but was he ever that good really? or was he just a good player in a bad era?

I spoke to a Utd fan recently who quoted 198 goals in 400 games "tells you all you need to know" but I've never been convinced he's the wonderful player everyone keeps harping on about.

Rooney or Shearer? Shearer every time for me, different players but Rooneys not in his league for me, blue and white spectacle on maybe?

[K-Hod]

Not want to drag this thread to a Rooney good or bad thread, but was he ever that good really? or was he just a good player in a bad era?

I spoke to a Utd fan recently who quoted 198 goals in 400 games "tells you all you need to know" but I've never been convinced he's the wonderful player everyone keeps harping on about.

Rooney or Shearer? Shearer every time for me, different players but Rooneys not in his league for me, blue and white spectacle on maybe?

Nah, Shearer a much better player IMO.

Rooney is a spent force, he needs to reinvent himself, assuming he can be bothered, as it doesn't appear so....

[LeChuck]

Why do English fans love to knock their own? It happens with all our sporting stars. No doubt when Rooney comes towards the end of his career people will start to appreciate how good he was, but I guess he's at an age now where it becomes popular to knock him. 141 goals in 277 league games for Man Utd. It's not bad for someone who isn't an out-and-out striker.

There aren't many clubs in the world who wouldn't want him if available and they could afford him.

[Majiball]

Why do English fans love to knock their own? It happens with all our sporting stars. No doubt when Rooney comes towards the end of his career people will start to appreciate how good he was, but I guess he's at an age now where it becomes popular to knock him. 141 goals in 277 league games for Man Utd. It's not bad for someone who isn't an out-and-out striker.

There aren't many clubs in the world who wouldn't want him if available and they could afford him.

He's the new Gazza...

His mentality and general psychological make-up is a disgrace, he's lazy, blames others, easily frustrated and look at all he gets up too in his personal life. The lad could have been one of Englands greatest ever players and yet???

Football in this country needs to seriously look at the type of personalities it creates.

[broadsword]

He was absolutely on fire in 2004, and hasn't got near that level since.

Must be hard to stay hungry when you get paid so much money. Sadly, he's been on the decline for a while now, and I'd certainly be tempted to get rid of him.

[thenodrog]

He's the new Gazza...

His mentality and general psychological make-up is a disgrace, he's lazy, blames others, easily frustrated and look at all he gets up too in his personal life. The lad could have been one of Englands greatest ever players and yet???

Football in this country needs to seriously look at the type of personalities it creates.

Agree strongly. Rooney is over the top and on a downward track. Half a dozen years ago he had an aura about him and was a real presence on the pitch but nowadays he doesn't carry the same threat. If MU can get big money out of the cash rich PSG or City they should snap their hands off.

For some reason our real footballing talents choose immaturity over maturity, and prefer to be 2nd best rather than the main man. The likes of Shearer, Bryan Robson, Lampard, Gerrard etc and just about all of the class of 93 (barring Gillespie) although of limited talent have forged fine careers on the back of character, work rate, desire, determination, pride etc whilst the genuine God given talents of Best, Gazza, Rooney, Bowles and Collymore have underachieved massively. I shudder to think which gutter Rooney would be in now if he'd gone anywhere other than Man Utd.

Oh btw Maj.... Check out this page .... if we'd had the courage of our convictions we could have made some serious money I reckon.

http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/21188-strachan-quits-owen-coyle-to-take-over-tomorrow/page-2#entry764543

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

.

For some reason our real footballing talents choose immaturity over maturity, and prefer to be 2nd best rather than the main man. The likes of Shearer, Bryan Robson, Lampard, Gerrard etc and just about all of the class of 93 (barring Gillespie) although of limited talent have forged fine careers on the back of character, work rate, desire, determination, pride etc whilst the genuine God given talents of Best, Gazza, Rooney, Bowles and Collymore have underachieved massively. I shudder to think which gutter Rooney would be in now if he'd gone anywhere other than Man Utd.

Don't disagree with the overall point but there am I reading that Collymore bit as Stan Collymore? Cause there is no way on this or any other planet that Stan Collymore is more talented than any of the players in your first list. He's not even fit to clean the boots Shearer may have tried on once and then immediately returned to the shop.

[LeChuck]

He was absolutely on fire in 2004, and hasn't got near that level since.

Must be hard to stay hungry when you get paid so much money. Sadly, he's been on the decline for a while now, and I'd certainly be tempted to get rid of him.

I dunno. The season after Ronaldo left in 2009 was probably his best. He become the focal point of attack and scored 26 in 32 league games (34 in 44 overall). 2011-12 he scored 27 in 34 league games (again 34 in 44 overall). They're his best scoring season to date.

I think his days being able to lead the line are over and he won't hit those scoring figures again. He's still got plenty to offer though. He'd be an excellent false 9 if he can find a club that would let him play that role.

[broadsword]

Was it the season after that he threw a tantrum and tried to leave and ended up scoring a massive pay increase?

I get the feeling his priorities are all wrong, and that his career is going to fizzle out.

[thenodrog]

Don't disagree with the overall point but there am I reading that Collymore bit as Stan Collymore? Cause there is no way on this or any other planet that Stan Collymore is more talented than any of the players in your first list. He's not even fit to clean the boots Shearer may have tried on once and then immediately returned to the shop.

Amazingly talented was Stan. He had everything Shearer had plus pace, the ability to dribble and he had a kick like a mule in both feet. He just couldnt be arsed to use them whereas Shearer had a burning desire to be the best and to get to the top.

I know a bloke whose cousin was a 'minor' coach at Liverpool in those days and it took Lpool over 12 months to suss out why Collymore constantly underperformed on match days, they came to the truth of it eventually and that was that Collymore simply didn't enjoy playing football and that his ambition as a teenager was to be a rock star. 'You can lead a horse to water' as they say.

[DanLad]

Was it the season after that he threw a tantrum and tried to leave and ended up scoring a massive pay increase?

I get the feeling his priorities are all wrong, and that his career is going to fizzle out.

That was just a couple of seasons ago, I think.

[Majiball]

Agree strongly. Rooney is over the top and on a downward track. Half a dozen years ago he had an aura about him and was a real presence on the pitch but nowadays he doesn't carry the same threat. If MU can get big money out of the cash rich PSG or City they should snap their hands off.

For some reason our real footballing talents choose immaturity over maturity, and prefer to be 2nd best rather than the main man. The likes of Shearer, Bryan Robson, Lampard, Gerrard etc and just about all of the class of 93 (barring Gillespie) although of limited talent have forged fine careers on the back of character, work rate, desire, determination, pride etc whilst the genuine God given talents of Best, Gazza, Rooney, Bowles and Collymore have underachieved massively. I shudder to think which gutter Rooney would be in now if he'd gone anywhere other than Man Utd.

Oh btw Maj.... Check out this page .... if we'd had the courage of our convictions we could have made some serious money I reckon.

http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/21188-strachan-quits-owen-coyle-to-take-over-tomorrow/page-2#entry764543

ROFLMAO, if only we had the odds back then would have been great.

I think Rooney for me is best summed up by the last Euro's. He's coming back from injury, the expectations of a nation rest on him coming back strong and hitting the ground running. Instead he comes back and has blatantly put on serious weight and performs poorly, just strutting around. No effort no desire to be the best and all I can say is this if you grow up with only success you only learn one thing you're always right. And we all know where that leads.

None of the locals have a good word to say about him and some of the stories I have heard even from Friends are frightening.

[Philly13]

I think we're being kind of harsh on rooney as a player. Yes, he's a prick and probably doesn't work hard enough, but he does so much more than score goals. His playmaking efforts are fantastic, and it's really a shame that he's not willing to play in the midfield more

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Rooney was a better all round footballer than Shearer. When did you ever see Shearer actually beat a player ? Not run past them, actually beat them with clever foot work . I'm still waiting to see it happen. Same with Beckham incidentally. Shearer was a better goal scorer than Rooney but not a better player. Rooney's thrown away his talent , at 18 he was awesome. He was like a white Pele.

[Mike E]

Rooney was a better all round footballer than Shearer. When did you ever see Shearer actually beat a player ? Not run past them, actually beat them with clever foot work . I'm still waiting to see it happen. Same with Beckham incidentally. Shearer was a better goal scorer than Rooney but not a better player. Rooney's thrown away his talent , at 18 he was awesome. He was like a white Pele.

Without meaning to offend, who gives a @#/? how you beat an opponent? Shearer is a better player than Rooney until Rooney has 261 PL goals

[saxo1man30]

Saxo the Liverpool fan.

don`t hide the fact liverpool are my first love through family, and rovers are my local team that i`ve supported since i`ve lived here, 20 odd years.

rovers winning the title at anfield was just perfection for me, especially with pool fans celebrating alongside us, dalglish in charge etc...

[Gav]

Rooney was a better all round footballer than Shearer. When did you ever see Shearer actually beat a player ? Not run past them, actually beat them with clever foot work .

You make a good point they're different types of players, but Shearer didn't need to beat people with fancy footwork, he just smacked it into the top corner, job done!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Yeah Shearer was a remarkable goal scorer, some of his goals took your breathe away with their sheer brute force and arrogance. I won't deny that, but by his own admission " he couldn't trap a bag of wet cement " . That's a sweeping exaggeration on his part but it's true he wasn't the most skilful striker out there. Older Rovers fans will remember Fred Pickering, for me he was the best all round centre forward we've had in my 50 years following the club. He had good pace, a tremendous shot in both feet, was great in the air and most importantly he was very nimble for a big guy, he could go past people on either side. He'll never replace Shearer in 99 % of Rovers fans affections but for me he had everything but temperament, unfortunately he could go missing from time to time. If you could have combined Pickering's footballing ability with Shearer's attitude and temperament what a player you would have had.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Without meaning to offend, who gives a @#/? how you beat an opponent? Shearer is a better player than Rooney until Rooney has 261 PL goals

You don't like watching the likes of Messi and Ronaldo then ? I like to see guys who can beat people. I got a few rockets into the top corner as an amateur player, even bad players can strike a ball accurately from time to time.I never managed to score a goal in a competitive game that involved dribbling around more than two players though, that was beyond my skill level.

I don't agree that the number of goals scored is a fair way of evaluating their respective strengths but unless Rooney sustains a serious injury he should overtake Shearer's goal tally.

[thenodrog]

Rooney was a better all round footballer than Shearer. When did you ever see Shearer actually beat a player ? Not run past them, actually beat them with clever foot work . I'm still waiting to see it happen. Same with Beckham incidentally. Shearer was a better goal scorer than Rooney but not a better player. Rooney's thrown away his talent , at 18 he was awesome. He was like a white Pele.

In a nutshell Shearer was an out and out centre forward. Rooney is not. He is an inside forward and best in a support role. Playing just off Shearer imo the pair of them would have been unstoppable.

[thenodrog]

don`t hide the fact liverpool are my first love through family, and rovers are my local team that i`ve supported since i`ve lived here, 20 odd years.

rovers winning the title at anfield was just perfection for me, especially with pool fans celebrating alongside us, dalglish in charge etc...

Might be misjudging you but I imagine you will gravitate to Liverpool alone before long now that we are out of the limelight. I bloody hate it but I won't hold it against you cos I've seen all this before in the 60's and 70's in our last downward spiral. The town will soon be awash with big club merchandise.