He goes by the name...

Like his foot was, our belief in him is shattered.

Wayne Rooney, Wayne Rooney.

That's all anyone will ever talk about when United is brought up in conversation these past few days.

In his statement, Rooney implies the lack of assurance about the ability to "attract the top players in the world" is justification enough to want to leave Manchester United.

What kind of arse-gravy is this?

As a friend of mine made it clear in a very empassioned message,

"We're two years removed from a UEFA Champions League title and one from a final. We only lost in the quarterfinals last year... We're the best club you [Wazza, 'cuz they'z tight innit bruv] are ever gonna play for."

(Minus a few expletives and with a tiny bit of paraphrasing) And I agree whole-heartedly with what's been said.

Having come out and said,

"For me its all about winning trophies - as the club has always done under Sir Alex. Because of that I think the questions I was asking were justified."

- Wayne Rooney

Rooney's suggesting that we're not good enough to win trophies. When, clearly, taking the past three seasons into account, where we've won how many trophies? Let's see, shall we? Since the beginning of the 2007-08 season, Manchester United has won:

- 2 Barclays Premier League titles
- 1 UEFA Champions League title
- 2 League Cup titles
- 1 FIFA Club World Cup title
- 3 FA Community Shields

In rough order of stature, with the really minor ones at the end. If we count Community Shields, that's 9 trophies. Let's say we don't, so we're down to 6. In the last 3 years, we've only won 6 trophies. And don't forget reaching the final of the Champions League in 2008-09 and finishing a point behind Chelsea last season, in a season where we could have made it 4 in a row.

Let's compare that to Manchester "Moneybags" City. Since the beginning of the 2007-08 season, Manchester City has won:

- nothing

Now, "The White Pelé" has said that he wouldn't turn down an offer from City. Presumably, because he feels that their Galáctico mentality will SURELY result in a trophy here or there. Don't worry about the fact that they haven't won a major trophy in... um... 34 years? (which by the way was the League Cup in 1976)

His wife's made it clear that she won't want to leave England—although knowing Rooney, what his wife wants may not necessarily bother him, right?

Alright, that's a bit harsh, but I'm just saying... He says he's never had anything but "complete respect for MUFC". How is it possibly respecting the club if you make it clear that you want to leave because you lack confidence in the future of the club?

I, like my friend who so passionately messaged me with his thoughts, would, to quote Kevin Keegan, "love it" if we cleared the floor and swept up every trophy imaginable before 2012, assuming Mr Rooney has left for 'greener pastures'.



But this has happened before—even if it is without the intense media scrutiny.

The suggestion that it was like when those three left was eerie in its coincidence, yet obvious in its comparison. First, Ronaldo and Tevez, and a season and a half later, Rooney. Our second Trinity seems to have 'finally' chosen to part ways, just as Charlton, Law and Best did. Maybe it was all too inevitable.

And it seems, in a parallel to George Best — the last of the first trio of legends to leave Old Trafford — Rooney's making a point of stirring up controversy before walking out.

I feel that, yes, it would be a lot better to keep him seeing as he's such an amazing talent when he's all guns blazing, but Manchester United is a team. No single player is larger than United, and Wayne, you're no exception.