Football Special Edition: Was Alex Ferguson’s decision of Wayne Rooney’s exclusion from the squad favourable?
Manchester United was facing problems before the last weekend of English Premier League. Their bid for the EPL title, that would take them ahead of Liverpool in record tables, got a serious blow as Manchester United failed lost two important points against Fulham. Therefore, it was very important for them to secure a victory at Goodison Park, against Everton, to keep the defending Champions Chelsea in sight.
The start of new season was good for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, but Wayne Rooney was his biggest problem. His star striker was performing way below his mark, which was making it difficult for his team to find goals. However, the international break worked in Ferguson’s favour, as Wayne Rooney came up with three assists in first match against Bulgaria.
However, everything went downhill when British media pressed allegations against Wayne Rooney regarding his private affairs. It was a crucial time for the English striker, as he came under a lot of criticism. But Fabio Capello the English manager, made a tough decision, as he played Rooney in the second fixture against Switzerland.
The main cause for his decision was either because the match was being played away from home or he might have wanted Rooney to take his mind off the allegations. In any case, this decision proved fruitful, as Rooney found the net for England after a long time, as his last goal was scored in March. This meant that Rooney was finding his scoring touch once again, which was a good sign for England and his club, Manchester United, as well.
Despite being in great form after many failures, Ferguson was not sure about his striker. Although, Rooney seemed to be quite an obvious choice, but in reality it was a tough decision to make. Manchester United was making a trip to Everton, which is Rooney’s former club. Eversince he left Everton for his new club, Rooney has been snubbed by his former fans. Hence, Ferguson decided to drop him from the squad while travelling to Everton. This was a decision that proved fatal for Manchester United, as they failed to get all three points from the trip.
Ferguson made it clear to the press, the reasons of dropping Rooney from the squad, despite his great form. He feared further snubbing from Everton fans, especially after the allegations about his strikers private life. This could have shattered Rooney’s new found confidence, if he had failed to perform. So, in good faith, Ferguson made a tough decision and left Rooney behind, as his side travelled to Goodison Park.
The trip to Everton was not great for Alex Ferguson and his team. Although, they dominated Everton for 90 minutes; they simply were clueless to Everton’s assault in injury time. Manchester United was leading by 3-1, in a game where there could have more goals for their side. However, Everton scored twice in two attacking moves during the three added minutes at the end of normal time. Thus, the match ended with an unimpressive draw for Ferguson, who now faced tough questions regarding his decisions.
Apart from that, David Moyes alleged that Ferguson dropped Rooney as a punishment. He said to the press that Alex Ferguson wanted to make an example out of Wayne Rooney, because of his irresponsible behaviour off the pitch. When these allegations reached Ferguson, he was furious with the comments. Ferguson reiterated the fact that the decision was taken in good faith, while these remarks carried no weight whatsoever.
Actually, Moyes remarks are a true representation of what Ferguson had feared all along. He was proven right that Rooney would be ridiculed, if he had taken a trip to his former club. Now, as a sign of good faith, Ferguson has announced the striker’s involvement in midweek Champions League fixture. Nevertheless, Rooney would have his chance to prove himself worthy to his Manchester fans, as he would try to find the scoring touch for his club as well.
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