Indeed. In the past contract negotiations have been handled behind the scenes... Rooney's was a public mess.
Wayne Rooney - Manchester United Legend
- Thread starter VP89
- Start date
Indeed. In the past contract negotiations have been handled behind the scenes... Rooney's was a public mess.
As others have pointed out, Keane had a very public contract dispute a decade earlier, but that didn't tarnish his reputation.
@Fracture90 Mate just let it go. We get it you don't consider him a legend. But this thread is all those of us who do consider him one. Let us celebrate him without all this arguing. You don't have to consider him a legend but don't spoil it for those who do.
Good lord, just this.
Both happy that he's able to go back to his boyhood club, and sad that his time with us is done. What a player. Responsible for a lot of the moments of any United fan under the age of about 40 will hold onto.
It depends on what you classify as a legend. For a club with a history as rich as ours the theshold is unbelievably high.
I wouldn't class Rooney as a legend, just like I wouldn't class Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Neville or Van Nistelropy as legends. They are all great players and both contributed heavily to our success and at one stage or another all were amongst the best in their position.
However in my view a United "legend" has to go far above just being a great player and in truth only a couple of players per generation fulfil my criteria. Scholes & Giggs are the only two players of the past 25 years in my view that fall into that category.
If you class Rooney as a legend then I imagine the list of United legends would be 100 names long.
I wouldn't class Rooney as a legend, just like I wouldn't class Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Neville or Van Nistelropy as legends. They are all great players and both contributed heavily to our success and at one stage or another all were amongst the best in their position.
However in my view a United "legend" has to go far above just being a great player and in truth only a couple of players per generation fulfil my criteria. Scholes & Giggs are the only two players of the past 25 years in my view that fall into that category.
If you class Rooney as a legend then I imagine the list of United legends would be 100 names long.
Mate, people are latching on my post from yesterday, I really can't help it other than not to reply to them which I will do from now on.
I am really wondering how some can say he is not a United legend.
One if not THE favorite player of mine during his prime.
All the best and I would be glad to see him having 2 good years at Everton.
Play him as a pure striker and he will get you an acceptable number of goals.
One if not THE favorite player of mine during his prime.
All the best and I would be glad to see him having 2 good years at Everton.
Play him as a pure striker and he will get you an acceptable number of goals.
Defo a United Legend and anyone doubting that need their heads looked at. Although he declined the last 2 seasons, I think that was more down to the management and tactics employed that didnt suit his style of play. Hopefully at Everton he rediscovers some of his previous form, but not against us.
All good buddy.Cheers
The logic behind it makes perfect sense, if everyone else says or does something, does it make it right? You have to have a set of standards that need to be met in order to qualify for Legend status, not have enough thumbs up by groups of sheep to qualify.
And correct, Ronaldo isn't considered a Legend, he cant be, he took a pay packet from several clubs and went where the money/trophies were. He did it for himself. He didn't do it for the fans or the club. He didn't sacrifice anything. Therefore the clubs he played for cannot call him a club legend. Maldini on the other hand.....one club, his whole career, through thick and thin, didn't flinch once. Legend. You can be as good as all those players you mentioned but that only qualifies you as a "Dutch Legend" or "Brazilian Legend" not a club legend.
In Messi's case you are using another example like the Gerrard one, where he was pictured in a Everton top.....aged about 6. Thats stupid. Messi joined Barca at about 11 years old, went through their Youth system, went on to the first team and hasn't looked back. How can you compare that with Rooney playing almost 70 full games for Everton before he moved to United and probably another 100 now he has moved back? Massive difference.
It comes down to where you set the bar for gaining Legend status, and it seems to get lower and lower. If Rooney is a legend what are the Puyols and Giggs of this world. They are in the same bracket? or is there a higher level? Because as far as I was aware it didn't get any better than a club legend.
Irwin? Cantona? I guess you're so old school you're going back to Best and Duncan Edwards then? Maybe Sir Bobby?
Thinking back about Law relegating us?
Remembering our best goalkeepers before Schmiechel then?
Last edited:
I don't think I need advice from someone so clearly argumentative. I answered your question straight away, it's hardly my fault it you want to reject the answer because it wasn't to your liking. Which neatly ties up my original point, that you clearly do think you are right and everyone else is wrong.
Anyway that's enough, I'll respect your opinion on the subject even if the way you put it across isn't to my taste.
I'd have Cantona as a legend as I believe his contributions to the club were more far-reaching than just his own performances. I believe he was key to the club going from underachievers to overachievers. Irwin I'd have as a great player but also not a legend.
Obviously Sir Bobby, Law, Best etc are legends, but they were way before my time.
Again it's all subjective, but my theshold is far higher than just any great player who put on a United shirt. I think you need something on top of merely being a very good player. You either need extraordinary ability, extraordinary longevity, an extraordinary effect on the club or an extraordinary commitment to the club (along with being very good).
I don't think Rooney was extraordinary in any of those ways.
Once again, a ton of respect for Rooney, who of course is a club legend, that can't even be debated. He's had many great years for us and to be honest, during the dreadful Moyes season, while he wasn't great, was one of the few who regularly busted his ass off until the end. I wish him all the best in his future, he'll be fondly remembered at United.
True. As for Keane I recall majority of the fans backing him during the dispute. Rio was the worst, banned for 9mths... How did he thank the club and fans for their support??? By flirting with with Chelsea!
Rooney was a major factor in us winning the CL. He and Ronaldo were the driving forces behind our revival after Chelsea won the lottery. He has won every single trophy he could possibly win with us. After giving us 13 years of service, he finished as our highest ever goalscorer.
I think he's met more than one of your own criteria for legendary status.
an absoloute legend
He is our leading goal scorer and has won everything in the game.
I said it before and i say it now. With his lack of game time last season. He will be well rested sharp and hungry and without any wear n tear niggles or knocks. I expect him to have a good season this season
He is our leading goal scorer and has won everything in the game.
I said it before and i say it now. With his lack of game time last season. He will be well rested sharp and hungry and without any wear n tear niggles or knocks. I expect him to have a good season this season
He didn't though, he stayed with a club who offered him less money and less chance of winning trophies. He thought about it but even with a much better package on the table, decided to stay.
Don't get me wrong even the Legends have doubts and could be tempted. But what separates them from the rest is the loyalty, even when the grass is greener on the other side.
To be quite frank, it doesn't matter if individual people don't consider him a legend. The fact is, he's going to go down as one. His record with us ensures that future generations will talk about him. He's guaranteed legendary status at this club.
But he did put in the transfer request and openly wanted a move to Chelsea. Liverpool gangs weren't happy therefore he had to stay.
You said 25 years, mate. Not me, and King Eric, Peter Schmeichel and more fall into that. Bryan Robson falls into that. Just saying, it's probably more of than Scholesy and Giggsy
Yep. He carried us in the 80s...and I can't think of a bigger legend in my life time. But even he, yes Robbo had talks with another during his peak (Juventus). So what.
So you are seriously suggesting Gerrard only stayed at LFC out of fear and was intimidated into doing it? I don't doubt he put in a transfer request, but he didn't follow through, he pulled out in the end, and that's what separated him from over top players.
Rooney is our all time top goalscorer and a critical part of our most successful team. There are not a 100 players who can claim this. Why Scholes and not Rooney? In the last 25 years we've had Keane and Cantona? Are they not legends?
Slow your roll, Spoons. I'm on your side
Slow your roll, Spoons. I'm on your side
Indeed. Just making a point. The hatred is absurd.
Indeed. Too right, anyone who wants to come at us regarding Captain Marvel has their work right cut out for 'em, Spoons.
The nonsense spouted in here would get shouted down by Weaste in his prime.
Indeed
That's not what anyone has said though. Kenny Dalglish is a Liverpool legend by virtue of him being one of their best players during a tremendously successful period for them, and later continuing the success as their manager. Rooney is a United legend by virtue of him being one of their best players during a tremendously successful period for them, leading to him becoming the club's all-time top goal scorer, breaking a record that had stood since Bobby Charlton left in 1973. Ronaldo is a Real Madrid legend by virtue of him being one of their, and the world's best players during a tremendously successful period for them, breaking all sorts of records as he goes.
If you think for one moment that Dalglish doesn't have great affection for Liverpool, or Rooney for United, or Ronaldo for Madrid, then you're a deluded fool. A player is a legend at a club if he does something for them that elevates him above almost all others, it's as simple as that. Dalglish did that for Liverpool, Rooney for United, and Ronaldo for Madrid.
It does depend on where you set the bar for 'legend' status, and it's not getting lower, yours is just absurdly high.
As I said, you can hold a special regard for one club men (proper ones, not "I fancy a pay packet in New York" ones), and distinguish those from others due to their loyalty and obvious connection to the respective club. That's fine. To suggest that someone like Buffon is not a Juventus legend because he happened to start his career elsewhere is ridiculous.
How would being a club legend be the pinnacle? Being a legend of football is the pinnacle, where your status as a legend is respected regardless of who you played for and where you played (see Pele, Maradona, Best, Beckenbauer, etc.).
Every single football club will have club legends, from Accrington Stanley to AC Milan, from Bangor City to Barcelona, whether their peak was playing in a regional division and having one cup run, or whether they won back to back European Cups. These legends are not determined by who they played for before, who they grew up supporting, or where they went afterwards, and whilst the latter can sometimes tarnish a reputation, it is very rarely the case. What matters is what that player does for that club.
Your definition of 'legend' would exclude thousands of football clubs around the world from being able to declare a player a club legend, which is just ridiculous.
Most important player over the duration of our most successful stint ever.
Best player for almost half of those years, during our most successful stint ever.
How can anyone say he isn't a legend is beyond me. You'd have to twist and turn through some hoola-hoops to justify that idiotic position.
Best player for almost half of those years, during our most successful stint ever.
How can anyone say he isn't a legend is beyond me. You'd have to twist and turn through some hoola-hoops to justify that idiotic position.
The only deluded fool here is you. You think a player who left united for a bigger team (Ronaldo), is a club legend. You think a guy who openly admits another club (Rooney) are his spiritual home is a United Legend. Nobody said Dalglish and Rooney don't have the affection of LFC and United fans, I will be the first to stand up at Old Trafford and applaud Rooney on his first game back for what he has done for United. The problem is you are blurring the lines between respecting a player for what they have done and giving them a status that should only be reserved for the very elite, the best of the best, the one club hero's.
I can guarantee you now, if Messi left Barcelona tomorrow for PSG, even with the unbelievable stuff he has achieved at Barcelona, his status to the fans would change. He would still be regarded as one of the best ever and celebrated for all the records he has broken but the Barcelona fans would not put him on the same status someone like Puyol would be on. That is something special. A Legend.
But back to my question.....If players who move to 4 or 5 clubs can be hailed as club legends, then what are the Maldini's and Puyol's called? Giving players like Rooney the same level of respect Maldini or Totti receive is mental. Like i said is there another word for this level of commitment or is the tag "Legend" just one big blur of travels, one club players and players who break records?
Those other players didn't break the scoring legend. It's really this simple;
Rooney - broke scoring records - legend
Giggs - broke competitive appearances record - legend
All the others; scholes, beckham, rio etc are greats but not legends
Personality and off the field issues don't come into it otherwise George best isn't a legend
Mate, no one agrees with your assessment. No one.
As I said, you can have special level of respect for those who have done it all at one club, but that doesn't mean that other players can't be club legends.
Just because you've got some anally retentive definition of a club legend doesn't meant that anyone else is going to accept it as anything other than daft. There are all sorts of things that can make someone a club legend. Your little checklist of weirdly specific criteria isn't all it has to be.