I know lots and lots of utd fans and i have never heard this said ever... in fact not even close.

It's one of the biggest myths going that there is no-one in Manchester that follows United. United has more out of towners than other clubs but there are two very simple reasons for that. One, their relative success and two, the size of the fanbase (which themselves are interlinked). You do see more man city shirts around town these days just as you saw less when they were crap. Perfectly understandable.

just a few points to state the bleedin' obvious.

1/ Rooney is not a world class player- his performances for England prove this.
2/ Rooney can only be classed as world-class, when he learns discipline.
3/ His agent is reported to be getting upto £10m out of the deal.

Now who do you think had a word in Rooney's ear?

Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho must be wrong then.

Also some will have to go and tell Maradonna that he wasn't world class.

Maradonna was world-class, his performances, and the results of Argentina prove this.

but he never learned any discipline.

You said Rooney cant be classed as world class until he learns discipline.

Are the rules different for different players?

Maradonna was disciplined till he went to Naples and got caught up with the local mafiosa, prostitutes and cocaine. his head pretty much went after that.

The point about English players in the premiership, is that they play alongside quality foreign players, who make them look good. eg Ferdinand and Vidic. take out Vidic and ferdinand looks like a rabbit in headlights. But put them in the same team, ie England, then all can see how good they really are.

United Fan

Rooney is world class, so any United fans now doing a U-Turn on him are looking a bit silly. As for only being world class on the strength of his England performances, this is also as England are bobbins. Are you saying Ryan Giggs is not now / never been world class? It's just a daft thing to say.

However, as good as he is, I will happily be glad to see the back of any player who does not want to play for the club, and will not be upset if he goes. I doubt very much that all this has anything to do with money. Rooney will have more money already than he knows what to do with and I never get the impression he is a grabber (other than a granny grabber). This is something else. Either disillusioned at OT, or wife ultimatum, or fall out big time with the club.

Going to City would be a mistake for him in my opinion (pehaps because I want it to be), and I can see him going to Chelsea to be honest.

More importantly for United in the aftermath of this is how whatever money is spent, and on who/what. We cannot afford to not replace like for like. We are still missing Ronaldo's replacement and were lucky to be as close to Chelsea as we were for 2009/10.

Maradona had terrible discipline problems right throughout his career...... it didn't stop him from being the best player on the planet.

Rooney is world class because the people who know most about what makes a player world class, say he is.

I think it's something away from football that's making him change his mind, he does seem to look preoccupied. They say a change is as good as a rest

Interesting you mention their 'aggressive transfer policy'...... As Rugby League fans, don't you notice a similarity to a certain club's 'transfer policy' in the late 80's/early 90's??.....More money than everybody else, buy everybody else's talent??

Its almost inevitable, that like how Wigan took over RL, so City will eventually succeed in dominating British and European football......What will be interesting is if City's success will be met with the same disdain that Wigan's was and is still remembered with.

Not sure about this. The financial fair play thing might well scupper them doing what they're doing now.

Utd should ask for Tevez back if Rooney does want to go there. Plus £40m, natch

Leeds spent more than Wigan in the 80's and 90's

....Denial is a wonderful thing....

Maradona single-handedly (excuse the pun) won the World Cup for Argentina in 86 & got them to the final 4 years later. To say Argentina were a one man team isn't entirely accurate but pretty close to the mark. Like it or not, he has been the best player by a country mile of my lifetime...

oh the irony

In the background of the photo,the planters you can see.I planted them,for the company i work for.

i don't know the irony. Explain please!

how and on who...?

if Leeds spent money it was buying Wigan players nearing the end of their careers like Hanley and Gregory.. and then Wigan took that money and went and spent it on Vaiga Tuigamala, Gary connolly and plenty of others in their prime...

id argue every day that Wigan spent more money....much more ....However what money Leeds did spend (hanley apart to be fair) was ed up the wall in a fashion never to be seen in Rugby League again....

....Are you sure?....It would be nice to sort that out and compare, but I reckon from your early days of throwing your cash about....Lydon, Goodway, Hanley, Andy Greg through to the latter days of Offiah, Tuigamala, Quinnell, with Connolly, McGinty, Iro in between and many more, I reckon it would take a mighty effort from Leeds to overtake that....

Rooney's Statement .

I would just like to thank Sir Alex for making my position at Manchester United untennable.
He's a liar. I told him that losing my mates Ronnie and Carlos was costing the club dear and the manager said "don't worry Wayne, we're replacing them with world class players."
Well the drunken Scottish sod was lying. We signed a Portugese tramp and a gay Mexican dancer.
I know the club is in dire financial trouble and is struggling to pay my wages, so I suggested to the manger and David Gill that they should sell me for good money before the season started and so ease some of the financial burden, but the sour faced jock git ignored my pleas and has stitched me up like a kipper, whilst trying to look like the good guy

Once a blue always a blue

Wayne

So Rooney has now spoken out .

John Gallagher?

i think wayne could only go to 3 clubs in the prem

1 definitely couldn't afford him - everton

1 wont pay for him - nal

1 could afford him and would consider buying him - chelsea

i say this because they are the only teams that have managers who can look after their players and rooney is one of those players who needs looking after. im sorry but he is still a kid. i dont blame him because if i had all that money i would go mad and waste it all in vegas or something lol. i just think he needs a father figure to look after him within his club and besides fergie, moyes, wenger and ancelotti are the only mangers in the prem who could be that person IMO.

If he went to city i think he would go off the rocker because mancini wouldn't be able to handle him.

I seriously think the FA should look at the way the american football system works. every NFL player has been through college and has a degree to fall back on if they prove to be unsuccessful within the sport. you aren't allowed to play for your college team if your grades slip and it brings a maturity into the game that football players do not have. there are still idiots within the nfl but not as many as in the prem it seams and the squads are 5 times bigger and there are 32 teams.
i think this would be good practice in all sports, if warrington ensured all their academy players had good qualifications at collegiate or preistley while they were playing if they dont make it into a first team they have something to fall back on.

As a country we need to learn to look after our kids, be it budding professional athletes or someone trying to be the best they can be at what ever.

rant over

Wayne Rooney............sits around on his for months, quits his job and then expects a big pile of cash to be given to him....... steriotypical scouser?

Alex Ferguson would never sanction a deal involving one of his top players going to another English club let alone Manchester City!

His destination will eithier be Barcelona or Real Madrid.