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Technical issue blights Moyes’ first United Press Conference

imageDavid Moyes held his first Manchester United Press Conference today and, in what must have been an almighty technical glitch, he appeared to suggest Wayne Rooney was NOT up for sale.

“Wayne is not for sale,” he said. “He’s a Manchester United player and he will remain a Manchester United player.”

Unfortunately, there was no technical glitch, Wayne Rooney really isn’t up for sale. Unbelievable.

It seems to me the old saying “no one’s bigger than the club” does not apply when Wayne Rooney spits his dummy out and requests a move away from the greatest club in the world.

Whatever the facts are about his SECOND transfer request, he has, in one way or another, asked to leave the club TWICE. The first occasion was unforgivable for many, me included.

Regardless of the excuses he found to suggest United were on the wane and couldn’t match his ambition, Rooney was ill advised to request to leave, a point that’s been proven by United’s success on the pitch since October 2011.

Ironic then how the form and impact of the next ‘world class’ signing Sir Alex made (after Rooney’s comments) demoted Rooney down the pecking order. It was this fall in popularity with the man who picks the team that ultimately led to the petulance Rooney showed in one or two games last year, most notably Real Madrid both home and away. This led to yet another public display of disrespect for a man who went out of his way to nurture his talent from precarious student to International Superstar.

Rooney should never have had the opportunity to request a second one.

How can Rooney NOT be for sale? Is Moyes playing the waiting game? Is he playing hard to get with the finances of PSG, Chelsea or even Arsenal? Is he attempting to squeeze as much out of Wayne’s transfer in order to give himself the biggest kitty possible for his own incoming players? Or is Rooney honestly NOT for sale?

Whatever the truth is, in my opinion this is a mistake by Moyes.

The scenarios available are:

1) Rooney stays and splits both the dressing room and fans AND gives United an internal issue as players look at the situation thinking “oh, it’s okay for him to get away with that is it?”. The issue raises itself again during next season then we face this all over again next summer. A little bit like the farcical way Arsenal deal with their departing stars.

2) Rooney goes for an extra £10 million at the end of the transfer window but United leave themselves in the same predicament Spurs tend to find themselves in each season after holding on to a player too long who obviously doesn’t want to be there and without the time to invest the money elsewhere.

3) Either way, the club and its fans have 2 months of needless speculation which comes at a time when everyone needs to be pulling together to make the handover as smooth as can be. Wayne Rooney, to me, is the ONE hurdle that could derail the entire process. Even if Moyes IS playing the waiting game and Rooney IS for sale, the delay isn’t worth it.

I’m not sure ‘Rooney v United’ can ever be ‘water under the bridge’. So what’s the point keeping him. He’s on the wane, United will find another Wayne Rooney – Wayne Rooney won’t find another Manchester United. Take the money and lets get on with it.

Surely it would be a better decision to let Rooney go and sort this out as quick as possible, delaying it or keeping him at the club is asking for trouble, isn’t it?

I know Sir Alex asked us all to back the new manager (to give the club the greatest chance to continue its recent success), but keeping Rooney against the probable best wishes of the man himself? I’m sorry Dave, but on this issue, me and you will obviously never agree.

What’s Moyes up to? Is he being truthful or is he playing the transfer market game?