Friday 30 April 2010

Another Award

Wayne Rooney has picked up his second individual award of the season after being voted Football Writers' Association footballer of the year.

The Manchester United striker polled 80% of the vote, with Didier Drogba a distant second and Carlos Tevez third.

"I am delighted to win an award with so much history and tradition," he said.

The 24-year-old, who has scored 34 goals this season, was named player of the year by the Professional Footballers' Association on Sunday.

The Football Writers award makes it a hat-trick of awards for the England international this season after, he was also named the Premier League's fans player of the season this week.



"To follow a long line of wonderful players who have been honoured by the FWA since 1948 gives me real pride," added Rooney.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank my manager at United Sir Alex Ferguson, the coaching staff and my team mates without whose help and support this award would not have been possible."

Rooney has shone at Old Trafford this season following the high-profile departures of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Tevez to Manchester City.

The forward has played in a more advanced role than in previous seasons and has become hugely prolific in the air.

The poll that elected Rooney as FWA player of the year was the largest ever recorded in the organisation's history.

FWA chairman Steve Bates said on announcing the award: "Wayne is a worthy winner of our prestigious award and the margin of his victory is testimony to the marvellous season he has had for club and country.

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Player of the Year

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney banishes World Cup fears after winning PFA award

Wayne Rooney, who was last night named PFA Player of the Year, has allayed fears over his fitness for the World Cup by declaring he will return for Manchester United’s potentially decisive final Premier League game of the season against Stoke City.


He missed Saturday’s win over Spurs, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson suggesting that he would be missing for “two or three weeks”.

But those fears have now been allayed, with Rooney confirming last night that he expects to have recovered in time for the meeting with Stoke at Old Trafford on May 9, a game that could yet determine the outcome of this season’s Premier League title race.

The striker has also reassured England’s general manager, Franco Baldini, that he will be fully fit for South Africa.

“The groin will be fine for the World Cup, there are no worries about that,” he said. “I’m hoping to play for United in the last game of the season.”

That news will be a relief both to Ferguson and Fabio Capello, who has been anxiously monitoring his striker’s fitness ever since he suffered the ankle injury in the Champions League tie against Bayern Munich earlier this month.

England’s first group game is not until June 12, when they face the United States in Rustenburg, but the squad are due to leave for a training camp in Austria on May 17 and to play Mexico in a friendly at Wembley on May 24.

Another layer of gloss was applied to Rooney’s season last night when he was confirmed as the runaway winner of the PFA Award, beating off competition from Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Manchester City forward Carlos Tévez.

Rooney, who helped United win the Carling Cup, has scored 34 goals for the club this season, his best-ever tally, and this is the fourth successive season that an Old Trafford player has received the accolade after Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo (twice).

The 24 year-old was anxious to pay credit to Ferguson’s role in his development and backed the Scot to continue in charge at Old Trafford for many seasons to come.

“Sir Alex has really brought me on as a player since I joined United,” he said. “His hunger passes through to the players. It’s great to see that he’s pushing 70 and hasn’t changed a bit. I’m sure he’ll be here for a long time yet.”

Rooney’s only disappointment last night was his failure to win the Young Player of the Year award, for which he was also nominated. Instead, that honour went to Aston Villa’s James Milner.

The PFA divisional team of the year contains four United players, spearheaded by Rooney.

Arsenal, whose title challenge fell away in the final rounds, supply Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen and there are also two from Chelsea in Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic.


Sunday 18 April 2010

United beat City

Paul Scholes kept Manchester United's Premier League title hopes alive as his dramatic winner seconds from the end sunk Manchester City at Eastlands.

Scholes settled a scrappy affair when he headed Patrice Evra's cross past Shay Given to give United a third decisive injury-time goal against their arch-rivals this season.

Rooney looked good with no signs of injury, coming off in the 74th minute.


Saturday 10 April 2010

Surprise Game

Following Rooney's surprise First Half appearance against Bayern Munich Manchester United will rest Wayne Rooney for their match against Blackburn. He has an ankle injury.

Lionel Messi lit up the Nou Camp with a stunning four-goal haul to beat Arsenal and maintain Barcelona's bid for back-to-back Champions League titles. Most critics will say he is the best player currently in the world.


Friday 2 April 2010

3 week layoff

England striker Wayne Rooney could return for Manchester United as early as 17 April for the Premier League clash against Manchester City.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said the player would recover in "two to three weeks" from ankle ligament damage.But in a best-case scenario he could play in their last four league matches and the Champions League semi-finals.

"The nation can stop praying," said Ferguson, referring to initial fears Rooney could have missed the World Cup.

The striker is certain to miss United's next three matches, starting with Saturday's important league clash against title rivals Chelsea at Old Trafford.

United then face Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final next Wednesday, and will also be without Rooney for the Premier League trip to Blackburn on 11 April.

We are relieved. It could have been worse given the way he hobbled off
Sir Alex Ferguson

But the 24-year-old could be available to face either Lyon or Bordeaux in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals on 21 April, should United advance to the last four, by which time he might have begun his comeback in the Manchester derby four days earlier.

England fans breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday when a Manchester United statement revealed Rooney had suffered only "minor" ligament damage despite leaving Germany on crutches after an awkward injury suffered in Tuesday's first leg against Bayern.

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