Stood still? He was Englands and is Man Utd all time leading goalscorer, he was a genuine world class player.
He was up to about 2010, after then his performances never consistently hit those heights. One thing you can say about Gerrard, Beckham, Lampard was that they were big game players, they often turned in big performances in important games, even if it meant over relying on them as they declined as players. Rooney was like that but from about 2011 those performances in big games just didn't happen often enough. I'm not sure why, was it fitness, mental, not having the right set up, temperament? It's sad but I think the last few years of his career have took the shine off what he was like at the start of his career and have diminished him.
Yep he dipped no doubt. Probably a combination of natural fitness and liking a beer, and playing almost every week from 16 years of age. Might do okay at Birmingham, but no reason to suppose he'll do any better than Eustace would have done. If they start spraying cash around, it could go bleak very quickly. Look at Sheff Wednesday!
Suppose the counter argument would be that none of Beckham, Lampard and co were playing PL football at 16. Most players have a peak of about 8-10 years. Rooney was done by about 30 when they started playing him in midfield. Beckham was 20 before he broke into Man Utd's team, he was 21 before he played a full season. By the time Rooney was 21 he'd played something like 175 club games so it stands to reason he might burn out earlier Having said that, it's well documented that he didn't really look after himself off the pitch - Ferguson made comments when he was young about how Rooney needed to play to keep the weight off him. You could argue that had he dedicated himself to his career like Ronaldo did then he could still be playing now
If that in an England shirt. Its why I used to hate him being England's top scorerhe rarely scored at the tournament itself. 7 goals at tournaments and most of them were probably that 17-18 year at euro 2004 who was a different player altogether. At one point I think he went to 3 tournaments and got 1 goal not each tournment but altogether. But yeah he did it in qualifiers against teams who were semi-pro!
My take on Rooneys footballing dip and not hitting full potential, he sacrificed his game for England and Man Utd by dropping deeper to help fit others in. I might and usually am a million miles wrong on this type of thing but he was first on the team sheet whatever position they played him.
I think he was ahead of himself all the time. As a 16 year old he was a fully muscled up adult,which is why he got the opportunities he did. Look how some young players struggle when their physicality doesn't match their skills....particularly in the EPL. That didn't apply to Rooney,....however, he burned out,maybe too early for some. Also,he was at the forefront of the ludicrously massive money being paid to players....had an effect,no doubt.
