DC United remain hopeful over Rooney

Sunday, 27 May, 2018 38comments  |  Jump to most recent

OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images
Wayne Rooney is still exploring a proposed move to DC United but the MLS club's head coach insists nothing is yet done by way of a deal.

Negotiations continued with the 32-year-old last week as he made a trip to the American capital to undergo a medical and assess the suitability of the area for his wife, Colleen, and young family.

A transfer that would see Rooney leave Everton a year into the two-year deal he signed when he returned from Manchester United last summer has been agreed in principle and DC United's head coach, Ben Olsen, remains optimistic the move will be concluded.

“There is interest in Wayne Rooney from our end and I think there is interest from his end too,” Olsen was quoted as saying.

“I hope it can get over the line because he's a very good player who can help us. He would be a great player for this league.

“Nothing is done, so I don't want to get into talk of arrival until he actually arrives. Nothing is ever done in this world and when you're looking at a deal of this scope and size.

“We'll see, but hopefully we can get it done.”

 

Reader Comments (38)

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Joe McMahon
1 Posted 27/05/2018 at 16:31:25
Another drawn-out saga; please, Wayne, just piss off.
Victor Jones
2 Posted 27/05/2018 at 17:04:17

I for one would like Rooney to see out his contract with Everton. Ten to fifteen goals in selected matches, and from the bench, would do for me.

I believe that he is still capable of doing that. And of course our other attack minded players need to step Up to the plate for next season. Tosun and Walcott could bag around 15.

Lookman a few. Bolasie needs to weigh in with a few goals. Sigurdsson knows where the onion bag is. And our defence minded players need to start having a pop. If they shoot high and wide then so be it. But let's start bloody shooting.

And then we have to wait and see who is brought in. They might have goals in them, hopefully.

So to sum up. I'd like to see Rooney stay. Let's hope that our new manager plays him in a more forward position. Because Rooney is not going to be our Pirlo... midfield is not his position. Baines just might be our Pirlo. Just a thought. Who knows.

Last thought. We have far worse players than Rooney to get shot of first. And Rooneys experience could just benefit our talented youngsters.

So give the guy his final season. He's a talent. He's a trier. He might just surprise us all.

Because Schneiderlin and Williams are as sure as hell not going to surprise or entertain anyone. So it's onwards and upwards.

Forever the optimists. That's us Evertonians. Roll on next season. We could be anything. Who knows

Up the Toffees.

Lenny Kingman
3 Posted 27/05/2018 at 17:11:47
Wayne is a home-lovin' man, as Andy Willians once sung. He won't go if there is any way he can get out of it. Why should he with the dreams of avarice already residing in his house?
Eric Paul
5 Posted 27/05/2018 at 20:14:38
Lenny

If he is a home-loving man, whose home was he taking that bird to whilst the lovely Coleen was away during an international break?

Si Pulford
7 Posted 27/05/2018 at 20:25:51
Hard to imagine any other team selling their top scorer two seasons running and the fans expecting things to improve. I'd keep him and get another top striker. As the RS proved last night – you need a decent bench!!–
David Booth
8 Posted 27/05/2018 at 21:04:27
Begging for attention and to be similarly begged to stay...

Fuck Off, Rooney and do us all a favour.

Jeff Armstrong
9 Posted 27/05/2018 at 22:09:21
He is what this club is all about: we are a nonsense club, a nonsense player brought back by a ridiculous nonsense chairman.

12 months ago, lots of people on these very pages predicted this outcome; it was a ridiculous gamble from day one. Rooney had proved that in his last 18 months at Man Utd he was finished, washed up at 30, I wonder why?

Lifestyle – that's why, he did not change from 18 till 28, but predictably it caught up with him, but today at 32 he is a multi, multi-millionaire and he has got a shedload of medals to show for his team career.

But he's taken the piss out of us and Man Utd for 2 years.

Tony Everan
10 Posted 27/05/2018 at 22:13:31
Is he waiting to see if the new manager wants him?

Playing attack only from the bench he could win or rescue a few games for us.

But that’s a pretty expensive super sub.

Wayne may not do what is best for him or EFC, he may do what’s best for his 4 young lads. I am a dad and Regardless of money or careers I would rather be where my kids are. If it was me I would stay for the final season, do some coaching badges and work with the young players coming through at Everton. I think he would do a good job nurturing talent.

Minik Hansen
11 Posted 27/05/2018 at 22:26:10
More than a few want him to stay and I am one of them. That being said, we need providers, more than less on the other side of Walcott, and a very quick player behind the striker(s). If that is met by the club, I believe Rooney still belongs to us and has the right role to help push for around the 5th place.
Anton Walsh
12 Posted 27/05/2018 at 22:37:18
I think he's waiting and praying a better offer comes in... eg, LA Galaxy or New York. He's been shite for 5 years now.
Adam Scott
13 Posted 27/05/2018 at 23:16:35
Victor.

1) Brands has come promising to bring down the wage bill. On £180k a week, Rooney has no future as an impact sub.

2) Moving him forward means him playing off a main striker. The role Gylfi needs to play. Now, I was never a fan of bringing Sigurdsson here but, now we have him, the team has to be built around him.

3) Persisting with Rooney is foolish if the fall guys are people like Dowell, Lookman and Sandro.

John Kavanagh
14 Posted 27/05/2018 at 23:41:28
We already have a useful impact sub in Niasse. If fit, he harries defences non-stop and scores useful goals.

Rooney simply isn't fit enough to apply pressure on defenders anymore, even for 20-25 minutes. So thanks for the cameo appearances and goodbye to a bad buy.

Can we arrange a bulk transfer with Williams, Mirallas and Schneiderlin?

Frank Wade
15 Posted 28/05/2018 at 00:25:35
I hope we will now make a fresh squad building start with Brands and let him decide who he wants. If he feels having someone with waning ability like Wayne in the squad on 150k a week is adding value, that's fair enough, but I would not agree. No more team selection influence from Chairman Bill in the new 'project' etc.

I don't agree with the suggestion of keeping Wayne as an expensive role model for the young players. We have Coleman, Baines and Jagielka for that and they are also far, far better professionals to learn from. I would love to see Gareth Barry back in a coaching/mentoring role if that was possible.

Anyone know why the SportPesa ad/logo is airbrushed out of the photo above? Is it a US legal issue?

Jay Harris
16 Posted 28/05/2018 at 03:25:01
They're not the only ones hoping he will make the move.

It was a diabolical decision by teary Bill to bring him back 10 years after Ferguson dropped him and told him to change his lifestyle.

Drinking, smoking and whoring around while on lavish wages does not become a Premier League professional player.

There is no doubting Rooney's desire and technical skill but he just can't apply it anymore. The Mancs have had his best years and we should not be a retirement home.

Kevin O'Regan
17 Posted 28/05/2018 at 07:34:41
It was hardly an achievement to be top scorer in that past season for EFC. Too slow, too many stray passes in midfield causing too many problems. Still not matured to be a role model and his body language was very negative in a lot of games in 2018. No place for sentiment right now.
Paul Mackay
18 Posted 28/05/2018 at 08:30:10
I'd keep hold of him for another season.

We don't need the money and I know he is past his best but I still think he has a positive impact upon the squad and can add some impact off the bench.

I also think what he can pull into the club in terms of his commercial status is greater than the fee we can get for him.

I think the decision will rest with the new manager. If the new manager wants him, I still think Rooney will stay.

Paul Mackay
19 Posted 28/05/2018 at 08:35:42
Would anyone take Barkley back to Everton given, as many predicted, he has flopped at Chelsea?
Victor Yu
20 Posted 28/05/2018 at 08:40:57
I would take Barkley back on loan with an $10M option to buy.
Rob Dolby
21 Posted 28/05/2018 at 08:50:50
Unless he wants to go, I wouldn't sell him. He has the potential to be a future coach or manager for us.

He is still a massive name in the game. Players would sign with Rooney around the place.

We need to trim the squad and bring in quality — not ship out one of the few that have it.

Ed Fitzgerald
22 Posted 28/05/2018 at 09:06:22
Rob, I disagree with your suggestion he could make a good manager — he can't even manage his own conduct.
Denis Richardson
23 Posted 28/05/2018 at 10:16:24
Wayne Rooney as a manager??

Well I guess Gaza gave it a try so anything’s possible. Can just imagine the team talks in the local with a few strippers in at breaktime.

Goodbye Wayne, please allow us to give a younger much better player £150k/week in your place.

Rob Dolby
24 Posted 28/05/2018 at 10:37:20
Unless he wants to go, we shouldn't sell our best players. Take away his and Oumar's goals and we would be relegated.

At some point he will go into coaching, why not with us? Or should we keep Jeffers, Ferguson and Ebbrell around for life.

Even Pep appointed Arteta due to his knowledge of the Premier League.

I just think that we shouldn't be too hasty in getting rid of one of the very few top class players that we have had at the club.

Jeff Armstrong
25 Posted 28/05/2018 at 11:32:19
Paul (#19), I don't believe a fee will be involved anyway, the £12 million quoted is Rooney's deal alone. We got him for free; get rid for free.
Lenny Kingman
26 Posted 28/05/2018 at 13:09:39
Eric (#5),

As regards home-loving man, it is meant strictly as regards his inability to deal with living anywhere that isn't within 20 miles of his starting point in Croxteth.

And speaking of his wife, she is just as bad and unlikely to have the right stuff to a long-term commitment and deal with all-round expectations of an MLS WAG and a new responsibility in a big country.

Anyway, the likelihood of him leaving is minimal, I would suggest.

Dave Abrahams
28 Posted 28/05/2018 at 13:44:28
Lenny (#26), I think Wayne is going and it was a done deal a couple of weeks ago with just the terms and fitness test to be settled. Wayne knows himself his time as a premier league player are in the past.

He came back, tried his best and wanted to succeed but couldn't do what he wanted to do because his body wouldn't let him. He is a kid from Crockie who did very well and can live the rest of his life in financial comfort.

Thanks for your first two seasons with the Blues, Wayne. You can be proud of the great career you had; for me, you will always stay "The pugnacious prince of Croxteth" because of those two great seasons at the start of a brilliant football career.

Pat Kelly
29 Posted 28/05/2018 at 14:02:41
There is no way DC United can be more hopeful than I am.
Jay Harris
30 Posted 28/05/2018 at 14:29:15
Jeff,

We did not get him for free. It was widely reported that there was a £15M allowance for Rooney out of the Lukaku fee.

That is why it is being suggested EFC are asking for £12M although £6M has been suggested as a reasonable amount.

Rooney's agent is pushing for a free (no surprises there then).

Dave Abrahams
31 Posted 28/05/2018 at 14:48:47
Jay (30), Everton will receive £7M from Man Utd if they win the Premier League title or the European Champions League as long as Lukaku is at United, one payment for each trophy.
Ash Moore
32 Posted 28/05/2018 at 15:06:38
TBH, in the first half of the season he carried us, and his response after being rested for the Atalanta and Southampton debacles was both predictable and magnificent. He tore the Hammers to shreds that day, a real bittersweet moment for a lot of Blues. What might have been?

Rooney quit international football partly because he couldn't be bothered playing for Allardyce. Oh the irony. His form and it looked like the fire went with the arrival of Big Sam.

He played better than I thought he even could, so I'd like to see him in the Premier League this year whether it be us or with someone else. I don't see how DC United could possibly afford his wages, but time will tell. I suspect he'll be back, maybe he can get the derby winner we'd all love to see him score.

Ash Moore
33 Posted 28/05/2018 at 15:09:20
Was there any truth Tim Howard and Phil Neville were installments on Rooney's 2004 move to Manchester United?
Joe McMahon
34 Posted 28/05/2018 at 16:17:03
Ash, I thought he quit England as he was no longer being selected? Vardy, Alli and Kane would also come into the equation.
Drew O'Neall
35 Posted 28/05/2018 at 16:39:47
There should definitely be a fee involved and it should be a big one.

While Rooney is a spent force in Premier League terms, he can still be potent at US level and his brand is up there with the likes of Beckham and Pirlo in terms of the notoriety it can bring US soccer.

Gaute Lie
36 Posted 28/05/2018 at 17:05:21
Victor,

Time goes forward, and so does Rooney's decay.

I don't understand how optimistic you are about Rooney, it's like wishful thinking, not realistic.

Maybe it's me, 'cause I'm not from Liverpool, not even from the UK. Maybe that's why I don't cherish him, but I believe it's more about seeing him play for the last 10 months. Not a good experience – except for that goal from the halfway line.

Maybe he should try out as a striker, not a midfielder. He does know how to score, but lacks the speed of his youth, and was never a striker with several tricks up his sleeve. His main assets were speed and strength. When looking at him now, I don't really see a top player at all.

So adieu, Wayne Rooney. Thanks for a few good moments – as opposed to what should have been...

Barry Connor
37 Posted 28/05/2018 at 18:54:08
Why has the photo accompanying this article deleted the club crest and sponsor's logo from Rooney's jersey?

Whatever we believe about his possible transfer, there can be no doubt that he is 'Once a Blue, always a Blue' so why try and suggest otherwise?

Jay Harris
38 Posted 28/05/2018 at 18:59:41
Barry,

I would suggest "Once a Blue, almost a Blue... except for my best years in Red" would be more apt.

Drew O'Neall
39 Posted 29/05/2018 at 03:07:00
I read today that Mario Mandzukic is eyeing a move to the Premier League.

I would defer to our Serie A experts for his latest form but he is the player I've dreamed of seeing up front for us for years. Incredible work rate, determined, unselfish team player, aerially dominant and technically sublime – the perfect modern-day Everton No 9.

If moving Rooney's wages on to DC meant we had a sniff of getting this guy in (or what I remember of him) then get on with it.

Justin Doone
40 Posted 29/05/2018 at 14:36:17
Rooney to stay. As a footballer he's just proven in a terrible season he's one of our best and most consistent players. So although his career may be on the wayne, he's one of our best players.

We don't pay the salaries or the stupid transfer fees so although I understand to a point bashing players and the frustration there are many more 'less value for money' players that should be shown the door ahead of Rooney.

Justin Doone
41 Posted 30/05/2018 at 14:17:25
Rooney to stay. As a footballer he's just proven in a terrible season he's one of our best and most consistent players. So, although his career may be on the wane, he's one of our best players.

We don't pay the salaries or the stupid transfer fees so, although I understand to a point bashing players and the frustration, there are many more 'less value for money' players that should be shown the door ahead of Rooney.


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