Rooney Still Struggling

            There is no doubt or argument against the fact that Manchester United has been lacking in productivity this season, and the disconnect between players may be a part of the cause for this. There is, however, one area where fans and all spectators disagree about Manchester United, and that is about Wayne Rooney and his role in the team. He is, without question, one of the hardest working players on the team and spends each game across the entire field, and I can’t question his effort. Still, I must point out the fact that he has not produced as expected and needed for this struggling team, and the problem is not that too much is being expected of him.

            Earlier in the season, Wayne Rooney was named captain of Manchester United, and that itself promoted some criticism from many people. Many don’t see Rooney possessing the leadership qualities necessary to be a captain, and that was seen right away as Rooney spent many games yelling at teammates for mistakes that he himself could have fixed, and that is not the way to support and help struggling teammates. Having not scored necessary goals, or not making a proper clearance from the back, Rooney was making the same mistakes as the rest of the team, and he was not playing at the level of a top-class, top-earning player. This lack of leadership was also demonstrated when Rooney got a red card for a poor tackle against a player, hurting United when they needed him most. Also, I might add, his team did fairly well during his three game absence due to the red card, especially while missing their top striker and regular captain.

            Also, Rooney is getting a salary that United is paying him to keep him at United, as he has had his fair share of hints at leaving the club for another. In the past, Rooney has led on that he wants to stay at Manchester United for his career, but has repeatedly attempted to leave the club for others. As a result, Rooney is being paid more than players from other teams that are more productive than him just to keep him to stay with United. The team and fans deserve more than what Rooney is giving them, and after his break Rooney has still been less than satisfactory, coming in with sloppy touches and missed opportunities. Rooney is not earning the salary that he makes, and unless he picks his game up, his position at United should be reconsidered.