Well...I feel used!

So three days of uncertainty, speculation, anger and hurt feelings have led to this...

I can't say I'm not happy that Rooney has changed his mind about leaving United and signing a new 5 year deal, however this last week has left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth for the player and the business of modern football. The posturing by Wazza and his agent Paul Stretford was clearly a ploy for more money, this had very little to do about ambition or a change of scenery. I don't know how much of this was orchestrated by the player though I believe this was on the advice of Stretford. Whatever the case my be I don't know how much respect Rooney will be able to win back not only with the supporters, but with his own team mates who he called out in his statement as simply not good enough to win anything. Some of his team mates came out saying more or less they were not happy with the star.

I personally have never been a huge fan of Wayne Rooney the man, I respect the skills he has on the pitch but his decision making outside of it is questionable at best. I know that it is hard to judge a man who lives his life in the media fish bowl of English tabloid press, but Sir Alex has made it a point to root out those who live their personal lives in a way that is unacceptable. I really am dying to know what the vets like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville thought of all this.

As for the modern day business of football, I can only show disdain for the way players, owners and governing bodies are sullying the game with money. I'm not saying that a club has no right to spend money on players, but the astronomical amounts being spent are starting to become a bigger issue than the results on the pitch. UFEA's financial fair play rule will be the first small step in curbing this problem, but there has to be a concentrated effort to help bring this runaway train under control.

Cheers,

Mike