Rooney voted the best under-21 player in Europe [Archive]

BillyManutd

12 Dec 2004, 12:43 PM

Rooney has been voted as the best U-21 player in Europe ahead of C.Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Robben, and Martins respectively.

Rooney the best under-21 player in Europe. (http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/041212/4/806m.html)

This confirms that Manchester United has the top two European talents, and our interest in signing the best young players (Robben was one of our targets last summer and I believe Torres too).

sch2383

12 Dec 2004, 01:08 PM

Rooney has been voted as the best U-21 player in Europe ahead of C.Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Robben, and Martins respectively.

Rooney the best under-21 player in Europe. (http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/041212/4/806m.html)

This confirms that Manchester United has the top two European talents, and our interest in signing the best young players (Robben was one of our targets last summer and I believe Torres too).
Can't say I'm surprised, he rarely shows his age on the field. However this just makes the failure to sign Robben look that much worse.

Motterman

12 Dec 2004, 01:12 PM

Can't say I'm surprised, he rarely shows his age on the field. However this just makes the failure to sign Robben look that much worse.
If we had gotten Robben, we probably don't get Rooney though, and I'm fine with that.

Robert25

12 Dec 2004, 01:28 PM

If we had gotten Robben, we probably don't get Rooney though, and I'm fine with that.

Ah wise Motter, thats the truth of the situation, as good as Robben was it was him or Rooney. Rooney is doing great so that helps reduce the Robben loss to chelsea.

sch2383

12 Dec 2004, 05:15 PM

If we had gotten Robben, we probably don't get Rooney though, and I'm fine with that.
When you put it that way, I can't really complain, but having Robben would have been nice no question.

haven

12 Dec 2004, 05:51 PM

I'm of the mind that if we had landed Robben, we wouldn't have bought Smith. And I'd rather have Robben than Smith (even though Smith is a great guy to have).

I'll agree if you're factually correct that getting Robben would have sacrificed Rooney instead of Smith.

Dave_M

12 Dec 2004, 05:53 PM

Rooney has got something special going on no doubt, but is anyone finding that he doesnt quite live up to the expectation we all had of him post Euro 2004.

I expected Man U to soar and Everton to dip, and well, Everton are second. Wtf?

Achtung

12 Dec 2004, 06:16 PM

I tend to look at it this way:

Smith "replaced" Ole
Rooney replaced Forlan

I don't think we would have gotten Rooney if we had Robben, but that's mostly due to the money issue, not because they fill the same position.

haven

12 Dec 2004, 07:03 PM

Rooney has got something special going on no doubt, but is anyone finding that he doesnt quite live up to the expectation we all had of him post Euro 2004.

I expected Man U to soar and Everton to dip, and well, Everton are second. Wtf?

If he consistently played as he did at Euro 2004 he'd already be the greatest player in the world.

As it is, he's highly creative, hits the ball well, makes intelligent runs, and tracks back. The only feature he really lacks is a poacher's instincts, which isn't something we really need from him.

Rooney, tbh, has been better than expected. Whether he's going to be another Rivaldo? We'll see.

nirvaanfc

12 Dec 2004, 10:22 PM

Best YoungSTAR (born after 1984)

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152169

Have a poll posted on a similiar if not IDENTICAL topic.

Having seen results of magazine users, still wanna get the BigSoccer's people think. Feel free to vote and post on this.

prk166

12 Dec 2004, 10:41 PM

If we had gotten Robben, we probably don't get Rooney though, and I'm fine with that.

I agree. Just look at the comments coming from management back when Rooney was signed.

prk166

12 Dec 2004, 10:42 PM

Rooney has got something special going on no doubt, but is anyone finding that he doesnt quite live up to the expectation we all had of him post Euro 2004.

I expected Man U to soar and Everton to dip, and well, Everton are second. Wtf?

David Moyes is making his case to be SAF's replacement.
:D

Soccerholic

12 Dec 2004, 11:42 PM

David Moyes is making his case to be SAF's replacement.
:D
It's a pretty impressive achievement that Moyes has Everton in second place right now.

GoodDead

13 Dec 2004, 12:11 AM

Ronney's great but 30 jounalists mainly in Italy conducting a survey proves next to nothing. When UEFA conducts a poll with journalists players and coaches voting and then say rooney is the best under 21, then i'll give it some merit.

Achtung

13 Dec 2004, 12:13 AM

It's a pretty impressive achievement that Moyes has Everton in second place right now.

Its amazing that he has them in the top half of the table in a season when almost everyone (myself included) was picking them to go down. The fact that he has them in second nearly halfway into the season in the almost feudal-style hierarchy of the EPL is nothing short of a miracle.

Dark Savante

13 Dec 2004, 01:26 AM

Ronney's great but 30 jounalists mainly in Italy conducting a survey proves next to nothing. When UEFA conducts a poll with journalists players and coaches voting and then say rooney is the best under 21, then i'll give it some merit.

Did you not watch Euro 2004 then or the multitude of comments from managers at the time?

Some, even stupid enough to compare him to Pele.