Man Utd Falling apart.....

[bristol_Wanderer3]

I have to say I don't get this. Where would Rooney go that would be better for his career?

City....lots of money to chuck at stuff and to give Rooney himself.

Man Utd on the other hand, large and growing debt, ageing squad, manager who can't carry on much longer.....

I can't really see a case for why he wouldn't want to double his salary and go to City.

So you are saying City are likely to win more trophies than United over the next few years?

To my mind United are the established club, they are likely to win titles and CL's, City are a few years behind. Also, he is loved and currenntly successful at United, and I am sure they would pay him a gigantic wage, close to what City would offer. If he moved across the city, he would be affected personally, he would be putting himself through another whole load of tabloid turmoil, and for what, to be less successful than he is already? It doesn't make sense to me.

The only explaination I can think of his that his influential agent (Paul Stretford) fancies another bumper pay day, and has persuaded the currently vulnerable, and apparently generally gullible Wayne to push for a move.

[BWFC_Insane]

I have to say I don't get this. Where would Rooney go that would be better for his career?

City....lots of money to chuck at stuff and to give Rooney himself.

Man Utd on the other hand, large and growing debt, ageing squad, manager who can't carry on much longer.....

I can't really see a case for why he wouldn't want to double his salary and go to City.

So you are saying City are likely to win more trophies than United over the next few years?

To my mind United are the established club, they are likely to win titles and CL's, City are a few years behind. Also, he is loved and currenntly successful at United, and I am sure they would pay him a gigantic wage, close to what City would offer. If he moved across the city, he would be affected personally, he would be putting himself through another whole load of tabloid turmoil, and for what, to be less successful than he is already? It doesn't make sense to me.

The only explaination I can think of his that his influential agent (Paul Stretford) fancies another bumper pay day, and has persuaded the currently vulnerable, and apparently generally gullible Wayne to push for a move.

City can buy anyone in the world they want to. Assuming they carry on doing this (and there is currently no reason to believe it will stop) I can't see any issue that will stop City winning things.

Utd are struggling to keep hold of their best players. They are in debt, their squad is ageing.

City can pay Rooney far more than UTD can.

Utd may be more established, but the tide is turning.

If my employers were struggling financially and performance was down and a rival who was becoming more and more successful offered me double my salary to leave, I doubt I'd think too much about it.

Would you?

Would anybody?

[bristol_Wanderer3]

City can buy anyone in the world they want to. Assuming they carry on doing this (and there is currently no reason to believe it will stop) I can't see any issue that will stop City winning things.

Utd are struggling to keep hold of their best players. They are in debt, their squad is ageing.

City can pay Rooney far more than UTD can.

Utd may be more established, but the tide is turning.

If my employers were struggling financially and performance was down and a rival who was becoming more and more successful offered me double my salary to leave, I doubt I'd think too much about it.

Would you?

Would anybody?

I don't know who you work for and what you earn, but I am guessing you are not in the position where you are thinking whether you want £250,000 per week, or £175,000 per week over 5 years. When you get to those amounts then you are not, or at least shouldn't be basing your decisions on money. Fergie has said that they haven't even discussed financial terms yet, and that he wants to leave regardless - suggesting money is not the key factor for the player.

I agree that City should be emeging as a force, but they are simply not there yet, and Rooney at 25, should be looking pretty short term in terms of getting the most out of the best years of his career. Maybe you're right, maybe City with Rooney will dominate the game, but it still looks like a risky gamble (in terms of footballing success and private life happiness) he doesn't need to take.

[BWFC_Insane]

City can buy anyone in the world they want to. Assuming they carry on doing this (and there is currently no reason to believe it will stop) I can't see any issue that will stop City winning things.

Utd are struggling to keep hold of their best players. They are in debt, their squad is ageing.

City can pay Rooney far more than UTD can.

Utd may be more established, but the tide is turning.

If my employers were struggling financially and performance was down and a rival who was becoming more and more successful offered me double my salary to leave, I doubt I'd think too much about it.

Would you?

Would anybody?

I don't know who you work for and what you earn, but I am guessing you are not in the position where you are thinking whether you want £250,000 per week, or £175,000 per week over 5 years. When you get to those amounts then you are not, or at least shouldn't be basing your decisions on money. Fergie has said that they haven't even discussed financial terms yet, and that he wants to leave regardless - suggesting money is not the key factor for the player.

I agree that City should be emeging as a force, but they are simply not there yet, and Rooney at 25, should be looking pretty short term in terms of getting the most out of the best years of his career. Maybe you're right, maybe City with Rooney will dominate the game, but it still looks like a risky gamble (in terms of footballing success and private life happiness) he doesn't need to take.

The amounts are irrelevant. His salary would be doubled my City or even more.

He lives a lifestyle relevant to his salary. Of course players are paid too much but thats irrelevant. IF he can double his money, of course he will, so would 99% of folk despite what they might say now.

He's seen Utd lose players like Tevez and Ronaldo whilst he's been there and basically not replace them. He carried Utd last season. Perhaps he wants to go somewhere were there are better players around him?

[boltonboris]

It might turn out to be good for United. They'll have some cash to strengthen the team. They'll replace him with somebody who may score 15 goals in the League, but then they'll be able to buy a midfielder in order to create goals and get a few himself, maybe a Sneijder of Van Der Vaart sort. They need to spread the goals out as they've been too reliant on Rooney. It may make a refreshing change for them

[BWFC_Insane]

It might turn out to be good for United. They'll have some cash to strengthen the team. They'll replace him with somebody who may score 15 goals in the League, but then they'll be able to buy a midfielder in order to create goals and get a few himself, maybe a Sneijder of Van Der Vaart sort. They need to spread the goals out as they've been too reliant on Rooney. It may make a refreshing change for them

Or the Glazers might use it to pay off one years worth of interest from the debt.

That would be nicely refreshing too.

[seanworth]

Ferguson certainly has a big challenge ahead of him as they will now need another striker, and the midfield really needs help. Throw in the debt repayment problems and it could be a fun year or two for the Mancs.

[BWFC_Insane]

Ferguson certainly has a big challenge ahead of him as they will now need another striker, and the midfield really needs help. Throw in the debt repayment problems and it could be a fun year or two for the Mancs.

They don't need new players. Fergie bought Bebe for 7M in the summer.

Rooney's replacement.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Ferguson certainly has a big challenge ahead of him as they will now need another striker, and the midfield really needs help. Throw in the debt repayment problems and it could be a fun year or two for the Mancs.

They don't need new players. Fergie bought Bebe for 7M in the summer.

Rooney's replacement.

hmmm, Bebe for 8m or van der vaart for 8m....

[seanworth]

Ferguson certainly has a big challenge ahead of him as they will now need another striker, and the midfield really needs help. Throw in the debt repayment problems and it could be a fun year or two for the Mancs.

They don't need new players. Fergie bought Bebe for 7M in the summer.

Rooney's replacement.

Somehow I forgot him.

[Athers]

14 August is a couple of days after United signed Bebe and City signed Balotelli... Signals of ambition.

I think he'll go to City, other than them he has one option - Madrid, but he's too thick to learn Spanish and assume he'll want to stay near the kid whether he stays with the wife or not.

[Tombwfc]

City can buy anyone in the world they want to. Assuming they carry on doing this (and there is currently no reason to believe it will stop) I can't see any issue that will stop City winning things.

Utd are struggling to keep hold of their best players. They are in debt, their squad is ageing.

City can pay Rooney far more than UTD can.

Utd may be more established, but the tide is turning.

If my employers were struggling financially and performance was down and a rival who was becoming more and more successful offered me double my salary to leave, I doubt I'd think too much about it.

Would you?

Would anybody?

I don't know who you work for and what you earn, but I am guessing you are not in the position where you are thinking whether you want £250,000 per week, or £175,000 per week over 5 years. When you get to those amounts then you are not, or at least shouldn't be basing your decisions on money. Fergie has said that they haven't even discussed financial terms yet, and that he wants to leave regardless - suggesting money is not the key factor for the player.

I agree that City should be emeging as a force, but they are simply not there yet, and Rooney at 25, should be looking pretty short term in terms of getting the most out of the best years of his career. Maybe you're right, maybe City with Rooney will dominate the game, but it still looks like a risky gamble (in terms of footballing success and private life happiness) he doesn't need to take.

The amounts are irrelevant. His salary would be doubled my City or even more.

He lives a lifestyle relevant to his salary. Of course players are paid too much but thats irrelevant. IF he can double his money, of course he will, so would 99% of folk despite what they might say now.

He's seen Utd lose players like Tevez and Ronaldo whilst he's been there and basically not replace them. He carried Utd last season. Perhaps he wants to go somewhere were there are better players around him?

Not if City have any ambitions of playing in Europe any time soon. Starting next year clubs are only allowed to run up losses of £19.6mil per year. This year, City are projected to make a loss of £130mil. It's a pretty huge gap and I imagine they could do without adding to it the money it would take to blow Real Madrid out of the water.

[Bruce Rioja]

Not if City have any ambitions of playing in Europe any time soon. Starting next year clubs are only allowed to run up losses of £19.6mil per year. This year, City are projected to make a loss of £130mil. It's a pretty huge gap and I imagine they could do without adding to it the money it would take to blow Real Madrid out of the water.

But isn't that exactly why his agents are looking to do this now - ahead of the new rule?

Personally I doubt that Rooney's arsed where he plays and I see this as being his agents trying to screw the biggest deal ever known out of Man U.

[hisroyalgingerness]

Reading through the lines at Rooney's statement, I think he has two concerns

Fristly that the club isn't prepared to carry on it's success once red-nose leaves

For me it's all about winning trophies - as the club has always done under Sir Alex

Secondly, that he knows he's currently a big fish in a shrinking pond and the club isn't in a rush to bring in stars, preferring to blood its current crop of youngsters - and Rooney knows that this means a couple of years without major trophies

During those meetings in August I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world

[thebish]

Secondly, that he knows he's currently a big fish in a shrinking pond and the club isn't in a rush to bring in stars, preferring to blood its current crop of youngsters - and Rooney knows that this means a couple of years without major trophies

as in - you won't win anything with kids?

[Zulus Thousand of em]

Secondly, that he knows he's currently a big fish in a shrinking pond and the club isn't in a rush to bring in stars, preferring to blood its current crop of youngsters - and Rooney knows that this means a couple of years without major trophies

as in - you won't win anything with kids?

Not these kids!

[a1]

Reading through the lines at Rooney's statement, I think he has two concerns

Fristly that the club isn't prepared to carry on it's success once red-nose leaves

For me it's all about winning trophies - as the club has always done under Sir Alex

Secondly, that he knows he's currently a big fish in a shrinking pond and the club isn't in a rush to bring in stars, preferring to blood its current crop of youngsters - and Rooney knows that this means a couple of years without major trophies

During those meetings in August I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world

i'll bet he's been rockin' them Press Hop videos on his ipod

"how the hell can i make my teamates better ?"

"money , it was hard to turn down , and fame"

[bw@bw]

If I was Glazer I would be on the phone to the Red Knights

This could trigger the implosion of the Empire

Especially with Fergie at a point where he could legitimately walk away - and ANY replacement for him, except Mourinho who would be mad to go there now, would be a gamble.

Whilst I have thought of Rooney as the Scouse Gazza for a long time - maybe his agent has got it right.

Two years time - No Fergie, No Rooney, No Giggs, No Scholes, Neville a distant memory, Rio retired to his wine bars, so what's left?

Closer to Aston Villa than Real Madrid in most respects.

And they changed hands for about £60 million not that long ago.

I think I would cash in whilst I was ahead and let somebody else pay for the rebuilding.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Reading through the lines at Rooney's statement, I think he has two concerns

Fristly that the club isn't prepared to carry on it's success once red-nose leaves

For me it's all about winning trophies - as the club has always done under Sir Alex

Secondly, that he knows he's currently a big fish in a shrinking pond and the club isn't in a rush to bring in stars, preferring to blood its current crop of youngsters - and Rooney knows that this means a couple of years without major trophies

During those meetings in August I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world

I wonder if he knows from his time around Ferguson that he will leave in the next couple of years. To me it looks like he will carry for a good few years yet, despite his age, but maybe not. As long as Ferguson remains the manager, I would have thought it would be in Rooney's best interest to stay.

I have always felt that there might come a time when Ferguson leaves that United will not necessarily be contending at the top of the league all the time, as people seem to think, and as seems to be premised in the financial assumptions about the club. Lets hope that time arrives soon, and those countless "fans" who talk endlessly about how successful their team is, but couldn't ever find their way to Old Trafford, can change their rhetoric to tell how they don't really like football, but their favouriote team is Real Madrid/Barcelona/current English champions.

[CAPSLOCK]

Not if City have any ambitions of playing in Europe any time soon. Starting next year clubs are only allowed to run up losses of £19.6mil per year. This year, City are projected to make a loss of £130mil. It's a pretty huge gap and I imagine they could do without adding to it the money it would take to blow Real Madrid out of the water.

So, what's to stop Etihad paying 3 billion to put their name on City shirts?