Suppose, for a moment, you'd been on vacation to some remote cabin, with the whole point being getting back to nature and unplugging yourself from our 24/7 connected lifestyle. No iPhone, computer, TV or internet access – thank you very much. Time to fish, hike, cook, read, and chill out. Quality time in the outdoors with the spouse.
Now imagine returning home today, October 23rd, from the wilderness and turning on your iPhone. First, the text messages start from your mates going off on Rooney.
What?!
Next, in your bewilderment, you surf to The Guardian to learn exactly happened. He did sign, good, but what the hell happened this week? Why would he need to apologize? City?! He said what?! When?! WTF?!
How could you explain let alone comprehend it all in one fell-swoop moment. One week felt like one year to the hurting United faithful.
It's like the writers of East Enders took control for a moment and created “North Westerners” or “As the Ball Turns”, a soap-opera specializing in the world of modern footballers from the likes of United, City, Everton, Pool, Wigan, etc. Previous episodes included Gerarrd's about-face transfer saga with Chelsea, City getting rich like Jed Clampett, and Ronaldo rumors running non-stop for an entire summer. You get the picture.
Even so, the writers, even at the apex of their creativity, could never have come up with what's transpired this past week. Truth stranger than fiction.
How do you go from proclaiming you'll stay at United forever to claiming that the Red Devils no longer match your ambition in six months?
Consider Paul Stretford, Football Agent.
First, this is in no way, shape, or form an out for Wazza. Rooney is culpable, as he showed tremendous nerve in challenging United's ambitions, especially after playing shite football for six months.
But, you wonder, what happened in the Rooney camp that led to this?
Personally, I'm living my own flashbacks, as I've got an eerily-similar feeling, here, between Rooney's contract negotiations and Kevin Garnett's situation with the Minnesota Timberwolves back in the 90's.
In this tale, the 20- or 21-year old Garnett, at the time, turned down a $104M six-year contract extension, only to have the club capitulate during the final negotiating hour on a much-improved $126M deal. Here, too, real power lay with the player, not the club. The Timberwolves couldn't afford to lose him at any cost.
Sound familiar?
At the contract press conference, a young Garnett, who seemingly had been brainwashed by his agent, Eric Fleisher, proclaimed “it wasn't about the money”, hinting it was more about respect. Like an extra $22M had nothing to do with it. Give me a break. Mr. 15% just made himself an additional $3+M with that ploy alone. Damn the implications on the league, the team, and the player – the agent got his.
The agent probably told the young Garnett something like: “Kevin, you need to 'earn' your respect with management, so regardless, we'll turn down the first offer no matter what they put on the table. It's a principle. You can't let them think they can walk all over you. You must be a “man” in contract negotiations and not set a bad precedent for other players. It's not just about you. What you get impacts what others get. You feel me?”
Thus, we get the ridiculous sound-bite.
I make no claim to know what really happened between Mr. Garnett and Mr. Fleisher, nor Mr. Stretford and Mr. Rooney. Rumors abound. Exact details will likely remain a mystery to all except those involed.
What matters is the power is in the players’ camp, subject to the persuasions, or dare I say, manipulations of the agent's self-interest in getting the best financial deal possible regardless of how it's achieved.
What might you do to earn an extra £1M or $3M?!
Now, knowing that Rooney's incredibly ambitious, given his willingness to leave Everton – his boyhood heroes – for an arch rival, and also understanding that United's current soft-spot is it's current debt structure's implications on signing transfer targets, THE argument to make, should you want to manipulate the player, is that:
“Wayne, you're a world-class player, mate, but debt won't allow United to bring in world-class players anymore. Look at who's left. Look at last summer's purchases. Nice lads, but will they cut it? You've got to ask yourself these questions, Wayne, my boy. Look at what's happened to Liverpool with crazy, football-ignorant, American owners. They nearly went into administration and still face a possible relegation battle. You don't want to play in the Championship, now do you Wayne?! Of course not.”
Our fictitious conversation continues:
“It's my job, Wayne, to know the real truth and United faces the same fate. Have I ever steered you wrong?! I know you're loyal to United. I know you respect Sir Alex immensely – he's top drawer, real class that man – a one-off genius, credit to football. But, how long till the gaffer retires? Do you want to be front-and-center of a sinking ship?”
After Rooney nods tentatively, lets say, Mr. 15% continues:
“So, here's what we'll do: call their bluff. If things are so rosy with the Glazers, let's ask them to spend, say, the Ronaldo transfer fee on players this summer. If they agree, you can sign on and I'm mistaken. Full credit to United. But, if they balk and won't budge, then you've got your answer now, haven't you? Why does everyone hate the Glazers sooo much?! It's common sense, mate. Are you in? Do you want to find out the truth? It's in your best interest to know now than later, when it's too late.”
And there we have it.
A simple, straightforward strategy bound to reveal the “truth” to Wayne as well as anger and put off the United simultaneously. A manufactured and manipulated set-up ready to blow-up, one based on the real and large debts, which is as likely an explanation this past week as any.
Everyone knows THE issue is the power the player holds over the club and THE power agents hold over their young-and-cocooned players.
While we'll never really know what happened, and surely, Sir Alex's power of persuasion played an immense role here, one thing's clear from watching Rooney's post-signing interview on MUTV:
“Yea, it's been difficult for me and I'm sure for the club as well. But, … for me... I felt I had to get my point across and we finally come to an agreement, which I think is the best for the two of us, me and the club. I've spoken to the manager, David Gill, and the Glazers – all of them have confirmed for me that this is the right club to be at and the club's going to be successful and continue winning things.”
Hmmm...“getting my point across” followed by a sweetened offer for an extra £30K per week over 5 years, an extra £7.8M by my calculation, then a signature.
Really, it wasn't about the money. Indeed.
Notice that there's only a mere acknowledgement of how difficult it's been, primarily from his perspective. All the while, Rooney must know how central he's to United's post-Fergie plan and how many supporters place United as a central priority of their life. For the club, fans and die-hard supporters alike, no apology required, evidently.
Looking back, maybe there's something Wayne Mark Rooney can learn from Garnett, nearly a decade his senior and from a similar situation.
Not terribly long into his mega-contract, Garnett fired his agent, Fleisher, as he watched the implications of his contract on everything he loved: the NBA owners locked-out the players, a talented teammate demanded a trade, as he could never make as much as Garnett in the post-lockout world, and the public turned it's admiration, for an equally-hard working player, into disdain. Many viewed Garnett as a naïve at best, or more likely, as a greedy and spoilt athlete – a poster-child for what's wrong with sports and society.
Yet, Garnett didn't let the contract impact his play, as he emerged into the best all-around player in the NBA, bar none. Eventually, his ever-improving skills, intensity, and love for the game won over much of the public. He displayed open affection for his fans, his city, his club, and his game.
Much later, to his credit, he only reluctantly accepted a trade, when it made total sense for all involved, with many Timberwolves supporters keeping loyalty to the player and openly rejoicing when he finally won his first championship with the Celtics. Truly, Garnett is a Hall of Famer and one of the 50 all-time NBA greats.
Please, Wayne, learn from Mr. Garnett. Open up just once and make a heartfelt apology to your teammates and United supporters everywhere. Accept responsibility for the mess you've created.
Yes, you've made your point, but at what cost?
Ponder that, would you please, as I'm sure the Men In Black ringing at your door provided a chillingly clear glimpse into one version of the extreme hurt you caused.
And, after all apologies, do what's natural for you, put everything you've got into your game and the rest will become history, young Skywalker. The football force is strong with you. Simply use it as your guide.
Oh, and if you fired your agent, we, the United bretheren, wouldn't hold that against you. Not for a nanosecond.
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Back at you with reflections after the Stoke match. Cheers.
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