Ruud Gullit is surprised Wayne Rooney has stayed at Manchester United after his dig at his team-mates - News - MirrorFootball.co.uk
Ruud Gullit knows all about using player power to force a transfer.
After all, he did it himself to quit PSV Eindhoven to join the AC Milan in a world record transfer that made him a multi-millionaire.
That was back in 1987 when he cost Milan £6million. He joined a Milan bandwagon that was set to conquer Europe.
PSV remain the club owned and sponsored by Philips, the electrical giants.
At the time, and with the transfer battle raging at PSV, he described himself as “the whore of Philips and Eindhoven.”
He even claimed he was “nothing different to the club’s owners than a Philips iron!”
Of course, Gullit got his way. He moved to Italy.
So Gullit knows better than anyone what went through Wayne Rooney’s mind this week and has revealed his fears about Rooney’s current status in the United dressing room.
Gullit said: “All the pressure was on Rooney from the minute he said that his team-mates were *not good enough for him. Because that was his message.
“You don’t want, and can’t keep, a player who says such things about the club and the team.
“What happened next? He got injured in training and is out for a number of weeks.”
United initially said Rooney would be out for two to three weeks. It now appears the ankle injury sustained in training last Tuesday will keep him out until December.
Rooney did issue an apology to his colleagues after deciding to sign his new five year contract with United.
But the perspective of seeing an alternative club as bigger than United perplexes the former Chelsea and Newcastle manager.
Gullit explained: “Normally you change club if you want to find a better club for yourself as a top player.
“There is not only the finances to think about, but also the sporting ambitions and perspective.
“But how can you find a better and bigger club if you already play for the best and biggest club in the world?
“When you look at the list of clubs who can afford Wayne Rooney, then there are only three. Real Madrid, *Manchester City and *Chelsea.
“I think Wayne realised this at the last minute and decided to choose the safe haven of Old Trafford.”
Turning to the way United boss Ferguson handled the Rooney contract row, Gullit added: “I bet Alex Ferguson has had enough of agents by now.
“I don’t get the impression that *Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford has *impressed Ferguson with his *actions.
“Given the benefit of *hindsight, I’d say the fact that that Rooney made up with *United and stayed was a major surprise.
“In fact, that’s putting it mildly!
That right???? fooking december??
