The upcoming 2014-2015 campaign could well be the defining season in Wayne Rooney’s Manchester United career. Quoted by Paul Scholes, and ex-team member of Wayne’s, (and Man Utd legend) has publically stated that Rooney has ‘passed his peak’. This has since sparked an intriguing debate as to whether Wayne is able to replicate his previous success at Utd.
England fans of late will most probably agree with Scholes’s analysis. The fans were not exactly left purring from Wayne’s most recent performances wearing the England shirt in the recent World Cup held in Brazil.
This could well be the ‘last chance saloon’ for Wayne, who in the 2013-2014 season, negotiated a salary reportedly worth 300k per week. Therefore both on and off the pitch it is perceived that Wayne needs to grab the bull by the horns and prove his worth.
Wayne’s desire has most certainly not deteriorated in recent seasons. This has been demonstrated controversially by submitting three separate transfer requests to his club. Some sceptics do think that this is the foundations of Wayne’s (and his agent’s) project to engineer the salary he has successfully negotiated.
Manchester United as well as Wayne have a lot to prove to their fans and sponsors. This season Man Utd famously, do not feature in the Champions League. The sponsors will also be expecting to have their brand broadcasted on Television next year by gaining qualification into the Champions League. There is no doubt that relationships with Man Utd’s sponsors will deteriorate if they fail to; adding expectation onto Wayne’s shoulders.
Wayne was not exactly non-existent in David Moyes’ reign during the 2013-2014 campaign; he was their top goal scorer in the Barclays Premier League. Man Utd are still in a deep transition post Sir Alex Ferguson era. This has often speculated that there is to be an exodus of Man Utd players under Manchester United’s new bullish manager Louis Van Gaal. Will Wayne be part of this? What will certainly be interesting is how LVG utilizes Wayne’s abilities; my expectation is for Wayne to become more of an Advanced Playmaker. This role would be similar to how LVG recently deployed Wesley Sneijder in the 2014 World Cup; as part of a 3-4-1-2 behind the two strikers.
There is most certainly going to be a new youthful mercenary of players at Manchester United. I would not be surprised if Rooney was utilized as an Advanced Playmaker. If this is Wayne’s destiny there would be further comparisons to Eric Cantona. Towards the end of his Man Utd career, Cantona was known to be the hub of the Utd side, inspiring and encouraging young players to contribute to Manchester United’s growing success. I do believe Wayne can fit that build and be the centre of the new Manchester United era.
Wayne Rooney is still in contention to be picked for captaincy for both Man Utd and England. Wayne has sometimes failed to start, and often been subbed from the starting 11 in both Man Utd’s and England’s teams of late. This has not altered Wayne’s determined mentality, as he has the heart of most probably all three lions on the England shirt.
The days of ‘Wayne’s World’, I anticipate to be behind him. There will undoubtedly be brief Hollywood moments which will appeal to the fans and cameras. Will we see Wayne adopt a similar approach like Steven Gerrard at Liverpool? It is clear to the world that Wayne has lost some pace, but I think that Wayne can still be as influential as he has been in past seasons.
The rest is down to him.