The Scouse Bully In Manny

Although established as King of the Jungle, a lion is not the quickest, nor does it possess the strongest bite force. So what separates the lion from its counterparts? The answer is simple: a mixture of it all. A lion is crowned king due to the nature in which it combines power, presence, and preeminence. For the lion need not excel above all others in individual skill, but the use of those skills alone is what defines a lion as the apex predator of its land. Where prey may demonstrate their singular, unique skill, the lion simply roars to remind the jungle who listens and sees all. For a lion may not stand tall, but make no mistake, it is no fool. Composed under pressure, a lion always remains cool.

They do not make them like Wayne these days, a skinhead trim, a rough face, and a fierce gaze. Brute force, Total 90 boots, he sent defences into a craze. An unorthodox look, with the 10 on his back, he never failed to amaze. Rooney was a lion. A lion by definition and by nature, he was not the quickest, the most intelligent, or the greatest finisher around. However, he displayed all these talents, and a multitude of others, to a level at which his ability could not be argued nor denied. Without the cheetah speed of Cristiano or the gazelle agility of Messi, Rooney was a predator in his own way, the Total 90 way.

On 19 October 2002, following his debut for Everton against Tottenham Hotspur, 16-year-old Wayne would feature again. However, this game would not be merely another appearance in the bank for a young, emerging talent. On this autumn Saturday afternoon, Rooney would force all onlookers to take notice, becoming the youngest Premier League goalscorer at 16 years and 360 days with a sumptuous volley from long range against Arsenal. The young Scouse lad playing in Merseyside had fulfilled childhood dreams, becoming a Premier League player and scoring his first senior goal. However, even dreams can be limited in the level of wonder the imagination can conjure, and for young Wayne, what his career was destined for would be beyond even the wildest of dreams.

As a baby eagle must one day leave its father’s nest, it was inevitable that Rooney’s days at Everton were numbered. The teenager had grown wings and learned to fly far earlier than his years demanded. This early blossoming of Rooney’s talent coincided with heavy interest from England’s largest club and global football juggernauts in the shape of Manchester United. The red inferno in Manchester was burning fiercely, but Sir Alex still sought a revival in the Theatre of Dreams. With Arsenal competing strongly and the emergence of José Mourinho’s Chelsea, the Red Dynasty required a rejuvenating spark, and who better to lead the regeneration than the 18-year-old wonderkid Wayne Rooney. The Theatre of Dreams had been set ablaze, Rooney was hot and raring to go. It was time to create the Great Fire of Manchester. And that is exactly what he did, he burned hotter than anyone could fathom. After thirteen years in Manchester, what arrived as a Scouse cub, fierce and fearless, left as a dominant lion, a captain and leader of the pride.

539 appearances, 253 goals, 146 assists, becoming United’s all-time top goalscorer, winning five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three Carling Cups, and one UEFA Champions League medal. Rooney was a bully, a wildfire that fed on the fear of the forest, a shadow that grew larger as the light of defenders shrank. At merely 5ft 9in, Rooney still stood tall and caused havoc and chaos with care. Truly an oxymoron of a player, he could leather a football, striking pure lace into the top corner. In the same vein, he often caressed a cutback pass, finessing the ball as it arrived at his feet into the far corner. Left foot, right foot, free kicks, volleys, and even headers, a true scorer of all types of goals. Wayne scored the goal voted as the greatest Premier League goal of all time with a bicycle kick in the Manchester derby.

Rooney was the definition of he can do it all; create, score, and pass, alongside pure tenacity and defensive contribution on the side. A Swiss army knife at its most elite level of sharpness. Arguably England and the Premier League’s greatest player of all time, Wayne Rooney was truly timeless. The lion whose roar alone struck fear into the hearts and minds of defenders, but he was not all bark, no bite. His teeth pierced, and he did not hesitate to strike.

The Scouse bully who arrived in Manchester as a boy left as the nightmare who tortured defences in the Theatre of Dreams.