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This week, 5 years ago....
“Remember the name: Wayne Rooney!” was the cry from ITV’s
commentator Clive Tyldesley. Rooney had become the Premiership’s
youngest ever goalscorer a mere 5 days short of his 17th birthday.
What a way to do it too- with a 90th minute wonder strike against
reigning champions Arsenal, ending their 30 game unbeaten streak.
Everton won the match at Goodison Park 2-1 and the following day’s
papers had Wayne Rooney’s name splashed all over them. Some
hailing him as the next Michael Owen, others, the next Paul Gascoigne.
He had a long way to go to reach their status but he had made a
huge impact on English football with one of the goals of the season
beating the national team’s no.1 David Seaman.
Wayne Rooney was born into a working-class family of Everton supporters
on 24th October 1985 and grew up playing football in the streets
of Liverpool. Like most young boys growing up in England, he held
the dreams of one day playing for the club he followed. In his case
he didn’t have to wait long as he was spotted by an Everton
scout at the tender age of nine and joined their academy shortly
afterward.
The stocky teenager’s progress was so rapid that he was playing
for their Under-19’s when he was only 15. He then sparked the
Toffee’s to the FA Youth Cup final in 2002 only to be beaten
by Aston Villa. This earned him a promotion to the first team and
he has not looked back since. After his goal against Arsenal he
was a regular fixture in manager David Moyes line-up, wreaking havoc
with defenders up and down the country.
Rooney’s impressive displays at club level had not gone unnoticed
by England manager Sven Goran Eriksson and he was handed his debut
in February 2003 against Australia. This made him the country’s
youngest player in over a century. With his reputation growing fast
he then became England’s youngest ever scorer (17 years 317
days) against Macedonia in September of the same year.
However, it was the European Championships in 2004 when Wayne Rooney
really announced himself on the world stage. He spearheaded a well
fancied England team and he certainly didn’t disappoint them
as he hit the net 4 times in their opening 3 games.
It was these fine displays that prompted Eriksson to come out with,
“I don’t remember anyone making such an impact on a tournament
since Pele in the 1958 World Cup.”
Words that were echoed by fellow Liverpudlian and teammate Steven
Gerrard, claiming, “On current form, he is the best player
in Europe.” Sadly for him, Rooney’s tournament would end
early as he limped out of the quarter final against Portugal after
just 27 minutes. England subsequently lost the tie after getting
knocked out on penalties.
Following the tournament, Rooney’s name was once again in the
media spotlight as the big clubs expressed their interest in signing
the striker. Everton offered him a new contract which was turned
down and he then sensationally handed in a transfer request.
It was the riches of Manchester United that eventually lured the
starlet as they paid out a whopping 30 million pounds (a world record
for a teenager) for his services on transfer deadline day.
Since joining Man Utd, Rooney’s career has been somewhat of
a roller coaster. On his debut he scored a hat-trick against Fenerbache
in the Champions League and not for the first time he had the media
raving over his talent.
His first season for the Red Devils would end in disappointment
though, despite picking up the PFA Young Player of the Year award
his team lost the FA Cup final to Arsenal on penalties and finished
third in the league, ironically, only one place above former employee’s
Everton.
His second season was better, winning the League Cup as he scored
twice in the final, earning him the man-of-the-match award. United’s
points total in the Premiership improved too but they still finished
second to Chelsea.
Rooney once again picked up the PFA Young Player of the Year award
but his season would end in frustration as he broke his metatarsal
in late April ensuring a race against the clock to be fit for the
World Cup starting in early June.
It was a race he won, coming off the bench in England’s second
game against Trinidad & Tobago. It is still an on-going debate
today whether he was fit enough to play in the 2006 World Cup, however,
whether he was or not, he did. Starting the third group game against
Sweden, it was, ironically, his strike partner Michael Owen who
would leave the pitch early through injury.
The game ended in a draw and England would top the group with 7
points ensuring a second round tie against surprise package Ecuador.
The Three Lions would go on to win the game 1 nil but it was a less
than convincing and somewhat lethargic performance from Rooney and
the team in general.
Next up, it was Portugal once again. It was a case of deja vu for
Erikkson’s men as Rooney would again leave the field early-
this time for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho resulting in a red card.
After 2 hours without a goal, the game went to the dreaded penalty
shootout, with England, as usual, bottling it and going home early.
Some made Rooney the scapegoat after the tournament but the focus
was more on his club teammate Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), who
urged the referee to issue the red card as it appeared he was contemplating
the decision. Rumours were rampant about a feud between the pair
at the start of the 2006/07 season but both insisted they were untrue.
The duo responded with a series of breathtaking displays on the
pitch and finished the season on a high- winning the Premiership.
Ronaldo became only the second player ever to win both the PFA Young
Player of the Year and PFA Player of the Year, while Rooney recorded
his personal best season in front of goal, hitting the net 23 times
and also recording 16 assists.
A week from his 22nd birthday, Rooney has the world at his feet.
There is no doubt he has the potential to go down as a true great
but only time will tell if the football world will put him in the
same category as the Pele’s and Maradona’s when he eventually
ends his career.
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