Has Wayne Rooney really fulfilled his potential?

Wayne was a teenage terror. Not as influential now. Never sure what his best role is in a team. Not an out and out striker like Greaves, Lineker, Cole and Shearer. Love the way he chips little passes at close quarters like it’s a school playground. He and Danny Welbeck are great outball receivers. Sometimes the media overestimate a players potential on the basis of 20 games. Injuries play a big part in a players career too. Aaron Ramsey were going to be the next big thing but after injuries their progress and potential faltered.

Only in a perfect world, Cloud.

.. i could only say that Wayne Rooney is another victim of the dreaded British Media. On Club Level he has achieved everything there is to achieve but on National Level, well, it’s unfair to say that he is below par coz let’s face it, the England National Football Team is still under construction.

.. yes, his temper might get the better of him in the pitch, but that’s just his personality i guess. He wants to win that much that his intensity shines thru be it good or bad.

.. if only the media would leave the players alone and just do their job by presenting the facts straight.

At club level, I think he’s pretty close. As the type of player that relies on technical ability and reading the game, he’s got a fair few years left in him. And the mental side of the game will only improve with time. Even when he’s over his physical peak, he’ll still be a top player, probably dropping back into midfield more as he ages.

He is one of the best players around, but I feel he gets a lot of criticism just because he’s not in the same class as Messi and Ronaldo, but that doesn’t make him an underachiever.

If at the beginning of his career you asked people to predict the trophies and awards that he’d have won at the age of 27, would his actual be any less than the predictions? Not by much if any.

The other thing that works against his is his international career. Undoubtedly he has under performed here, but every English ‘superstar’ has done for oh so long. There is a problem there, fans, manager, media, FA etc so not totally down to the players. Just ask Messi about being a world class player in an underachieving national side.

To cut a long story short:
Club – Full potential within reach.
International – Far from, but another in a long list.

At club level, I think he’s pretty close.

Quantum, do you think Rooney has fufilled his potential as a footballer?

All that’s happened this year is that Rooney has shown how versatile he is. His stats of goals + assists per game is equal to his best, this year its shifted for towards assists than goals. With van Persie coming in, he’s having to play a different role, creator rather than scorer, and has clearly done it well (see stats).

Also Pedro’s comment about his temper is spot on. When was the last time we actually saw him loose his temper? He may get ‘over-enthused’, but that’s just his passion. “a sign that Wayne Rooney is maturing as a footballer” – this may have been a valid comment a few years ago, but he’s already matured past that.

rooney cannot control his temper? this is not the same rooney from years back, hes grown up, hes a mature player and know that his actions can have severe consequences that may affect the team. Nevertheless, wayne rooney is manchester united, he wont leave and hes in great form so i dont really see him leaving man untd….ever.

I can certainly see why people say he hasn’t fulfilled his potential. When he started out he was hyped so high that I’m not sure it would even be possible for him to achieve what everyone expected of him.

For United he’s playing in a role that asks a lot of him. He’s basically expected to play everywhere on the pitch both being a link between midfield and attack as well as tracking back and covering in a defensive midfielder role quite often.

He’s not going to get as many goals this way as if he were an out and out striker or an attacking midfielder, but he still manages to tally quite a few.

I have also always felt that he’s the sort of player that would rather spend his free time having a drink with his mates rather than putting in extra training (like Ronaldo or Messi).

Perhaps that’s a false perception, but it is still something that is not helped by his physique. He will always have to work that little bit harder because of his build.

The one place he truly has not proved himself is the international stage, but there have been few times for him to truly shine. How many tournaments has he been injured for, or not completely fit? This is mostly a by product of these tournaments taking place after a long, grueling club season in which he’s already played 30, 40, 50 or more matches.

The only trophies he hasn’t won (at least not yet perhaps, you never know) are the Euros and the World Cup. Even then, his strike rate for England is still decent. He’s always a handful.

He’s not finished until he retires.

The only trophies he hasn’t won (at least not yet perhaps, you never know) are the Euros and the World Cup. Even then, his strike rate for England is still decent. He’s always a handful.

He’s not finished until he retires.

I can certainly see why people say he hasn’t fulfilled his potential. When he started out he was hyped so high that I’m not sure it would even be possible for him to achieve what everyone expected of him.

For United he’s playing in a role that asks a lot of him. He’s basically expected to play everywhere on the pitch both being a link between midfield and attack as well as tracking back and covering in a defensive midfielder role quite often.

He’s not going to get as many goals this way as if he were an out and out striker or an attacking midfielder, but he still manages to tally quite a few.

I have also always felt that he’s the sort of player that would rather spend his free time having a drink with his mates rather than putting in extra training (like Ronaldo or Messi).

Perhaps that’s a false perception, but it is still something that is not helped by his physique. He will always have to work that little bit harder because of his build.

The one place he truly has not proved himself is the international stage, but there have been few times for him to truly shine. How many tournaments has he been injured for, or not completely fit? This is mostly a by product of these tournaments taking place after a long, grueling club season in which he’s already played 30, 40, 50 or more matches.

rooney cannot control his temper? this is not the same rooney from years back, hes grown up, hes a mature player and know that his actions can have severe consequences that may affect the team. Nevertheless, wayne rooney is manchester united, he wont leave and hes in great form so i dont really see him leaving man untd….ever.

All that’s happened this year is that Rooney has shown how versatile he is. His stats of goals + assists per game is equal to his best, this year its shifted for towards assists than goals. With van Persie coming in, he’s having to play a different role, creator rather than scorer, and has clearly done it well (see stats).

Also Pedro’s comment about his temper is spot on. When was the last time we actually saw him loose his temper? He may get ‘over-enthused’, but that’s just his passion. “a sign that Wayne Rooney is maturing as a footballer” – this may have been a valid comment a few years ago, but he’s already matured past that.

Quantum, do you think Rooney has fufilled his potential as a footballer?

At club level, I think he’s pretty close.

At club level, I think he’s pretty close. As the type of player that relies on technical ability and reading the game, he’s got a fair few years left in him. And the mental side of the game will only improve with time. Even when he’s over his physical peak, he’ll still be a top player, probably dropping back into midfield more as he ages.

He is one of the best players around, but I feel he gets a lot of criticism just because he’s not in the same class as Messi and Ronaldo, but that doesn’t make him an underachiever.

If at the beginning of his career you asked people to predict the trophies and awards that he’d have won at the age of 27, would his actual be any less than the predictions? Not by much if any.

The other thing that works against his is his international career. Undoubtedly he has under performed here, but every English ‘superstar’ has done for oh so long. There is a problem there, fans, manager, media, FA etc so not totally down to the players. Just ask Messi about being a world class player in an underachieving national side.

To cut a long story short:
Club – Full potential within reach.
International – Far from, but another in a long list.

.. i could only say that Wayne Rooney is another victim of the dreaded British Media. On Club Level he has achieved everything there is to achieve but on National Level, well, it’s unfair to say that he is below par coz let’s face it, the England National Football Team is still under construction.

.. yes, his temper might get the better of him in the pitch, but that’s just his personality i guess. He wants to win that much that his intensity shines thru be it good or bad.

.. if only the media would leave the players alone and just do their job by presenting the facts straight.

Only in a perfect world, Cloud.

Wayne was a teenage terror. Not as influential now. Never sure what his best role is in a team. Not an out and out striker like Greaves, Lineker, Cole and Shearer. Love the way he chips little passes at close quarters like it’s a school playground. He and Danny Welbeck are great outball receivers. Sometimes the media overestimate a players potential on the basis of 20 games. Injuries play a big part in a players career too. Aaron Ramsey were going to be the next big thing but after injuries their progress and potential faltered.