Wayne Rooney contradicts Sir Alex Ferguson over ankle injury
Substituted early in the second half against Bolton, following another ineffectual display, the out-of-sorts Wayne Rooney trudged off the Reebok Stadium pitch and promptly had an ice-pack strapped to his ankle by the medical staff.
Whatever happened to the Manchester United striker was innocuous. His failure to shine aside, Rooney showed little sign that he was struggling with injury.
And days later, when it was announced that the England international would miss the Red Devils’ crucial Champions League clash against Valencia at the Mestalla with an ankle injury, there was a feeling among the supporters that all was not as it seemed.
Earlier in the season, following a series of tabloid allegations, Rooney was omitted from the United squad to face boyhood club Everton at Goodison Park – something which Ferguson put down to the "terrible abuse" he endures on his trips back to his former employers.
But the United manager couldn’t use the same excuse this time, as the squad travelled to Spain without their star striker in tow.
However, three weeks on from the 2-2 draw against Bolton, Rooney has sensationally risked the wrath of his notoriously-fiery manager by contradicting the Scot over his ankle injury.
Following Tuesday’s 0-0 draw against Montenegro, in which the England No. 9 was again far from his best, Rooney categorically denied that he’d been suffering from an ankle injury this season, and seemed bemused as to why his boss had made the claims in the first place.
When asked if he’d struggled against the Montenegrins because of his ankle, the 24-year-old said: "No, I've had no ankle problem all season."
Then when quizzed: "Why did Alex Ferguson say you had?" Rooney simply laughed and replied: "I don't know."
The Croxteth-born striker’s comments could prove rather embarrassing for Ferguson, who publically stated that an ankle injury had been diagnosed last month. It also leaves Rooney in a potentially perilous position with his club manager.
Set to make his first appearance since that match at the Reebok Stadium, for Manchester United against West Brom on Saturday, it’s unclear at this stage whether Rooney will be reprimanded for his comments. However, because of how important the player is to the club’s ambitions, it’s near enough certain that he will start against the Baggies this weekend.
After his goalscoring heroics during the last campaign, big things were expected of Rooney this season. But the contrasts could hardly be more stark two months into the current campaign.
Despite his nightmare start to the season, the striker is confident in his ability to bounce back.
"When you are going through the run I am now, you just have to keep working hard," Rooney added.
"I don't do anything different? I train as hard as I can every time I train and I do extra training every day and I've done that since I was a young boy.
"I'll keep doing my training and I'm sure the goals will come."
On numerous occasions over the past six years, since he arrived at Old Trafford for £30million as an 18-year-old, Rooney has signaled his intention to follow in the footsteps of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville - players who’ve spent their entire careers playing at the very top with United after dedicating themselves to the sport with model professionalism on and off the pitch.
And it’s off the pitch where Rooney now has to work hard on improving. Not only to get back to his best on the pitch, but also to fulfil his dream of spending the majority of his career at the club he was always destined to play for.
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