Jagielka says Rooney could return one day

, 25 April, 91comments  |  Jump to most recent

(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

As Wayne Rooney prepares to run out at Goodison Park once more, 11 years after he left for Manchester United, Phil Jagielka believes the boyhood Blue could return to play for Everton one day.

The days have passed since Rooney was subjected to barracking and boos from the terraces on his returns to his old stomping grounds with the Red Devils but enough water has passed under the bridge since his controversal move in August 2004 that his reception is a little less hostile.

And Everton's current captain wouldn't rule out Rooney coming home one day, but only if the circumstances were right.

“He would come back but he wouldn't want to come back at the end when he wasn't the player he was,” Jagielka said in The Telegraph. “He wouldn't want to come back for the sake of it. He would want to come back and make a difference.

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“Wayne has high standards. He would want to come back to break records, score the most goals for Everton — that's the type of person he is. But he's got a big future, especially doing so well for Manchester United at the moment, and I can't see them letting him go anytime soon.

“I speak to him all the time and he's always keen to know how we have got on, he's still a big Evertonian. He still gets a little bit of stick, although it's dampened down, but it is the way Wayne is he probably wants to show it too much, maybe trying too hard when he comes back.

Rooney was sold to United in a deal that was eventually worth £27m to Everton at a time when the Blues' prospects were still bleak two years into David Moyes's tenure as manager. The club had just finished 17th in the Premier League in a demoralising campaign and Jagielka is aware of the danger that history could repeat itself with some of the Blues' current gems like John Stones and Ross Barkley.

“Yes, definitely when you look at it,” he continued. “It looks like Chelsea are going to win the league, and those around them will want to make statements by buying players. If their shopping lists have some of our players on them, they have an open cheque book. That is football, not just at our club.

“It's always the same when you have good players, and good young players like we've got, people are going to look at them and be writing about them. People will move on, people you expect to stay will go and people you expect to go will stay. That is the way football goes.

"I'd like to think we will keep everyone we want to keep and the manager will get whoever he wants in. I am sure this summer will be the biggest turnaround in players we have seen for a while. There are people coming to the end of their contracts, age-wise, and people who are not getting enough game time. When you don't have a successful season some people do not get the opportunity to rectify a good season, that's the way football goes.

"[B]ut I know one thing, that if people go the money will have to be top dollar because we have some fantastic players. Our turnover is not up there with other clubs and we don't have a billionaire owner who can write cheques. That's the way we are. But in terms of our development and what we offer as a club, it's a lot more than throwing the cash and buying teams.”

 

Reader Comments (91)

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James Morgan
1 Posted 25/04/2015 at 22:56:01
Get him when heÂ’s a fat 36-year-old crock, Gascoigne/Ginola style!
Kase Chow
2 Posted 25/04/2015 at 23:32:53
Unless he was returning with ability, talent and requisite fitness then IÂ’m not interested.

I donÂ’t hate him anymore. I hate our club for not providing the infrastructure to have made him want to stay.

And I hate our club for not having done ANYTHING for the next Wayne Rooney to come through to look around and see the possibility of achieving his ambitions with us.

Same old tired ground, same financing issues, same poor transfer budget, same low non match day income, same old Â’weÂ’re looking for investors not buyersÂ’ mantra.

Nothing has changed so if Stones and/or Barkley become true players, theyÂ’ll be off before we know it and the chairman will pocket 70% of the wedge and make the remaining 30% available for transfers. Brilliant!

Ross Edwards
3 Posted 25/04/2015 at 23:39:50
No chance. Not a chance. ThereÂ’s more chance of getting an Arab takeover, Pep Guardiola and Ronaldo coming to the club than him coming back.
Ernie Baywood
4 Posted 25/04/2015 at 23:40:10
Not sure if I ever hated him as an individual, I just hated the fact that his transfer was the moment that I Â’grew upÂ’.

Footballers were no longer heroes, loyalty didnÂ’t matter anymore, money was everything. Who wants to grow up with that reality?

The last bit of naïve kid in me always wanted him to one day say "I’m rejecting a new contract and any other clubs because I want to go back to Everton". Getting a bit late now.

Patrick Murphy
5 Posted 25/04/2015 at 23:45:36
Kase - This perpetual cry of Kenwright will Â’run offÂ’ with this money or that money is complete rubbish. Yes, there may be avenues for him to make money from the club along the way but he doesnÂ’t and canÂ’t take money out of the club without it being flagged up in the accounts somewhere.

Do I want him as the owner / Chairman? No, but it serves little purpose individuals crying foul when itÂ’s so blatantly untrue. If it was the case that money was being transferred to his account, IÂ’m sure somebody somewhere would pull him up about it.

Whilst there is no proof, all that such accusations do is undermine those who do want him removed from the club in his present position and false allegations only serve BillÂ’s purposes and not those who wish to see the back of him.

James Marshall
6 Posted 26/04/2015 at 00:27:38
None of us has a single reason to hate Wayne Rooney.

I never have done, and never will dislike him - he was a kid when he left and it was no doubt, all out of his hands. Everton needed the cash, and they got it, end of story.

Evertonians laying into him are wasting their breath.

I hope he comes back one day, maybe when he’s about 32 for a few years – I think even the haters would secretly enjoy that. He’d have plenty to offer as a midfielder at that stage of his career.

Michael Winstanley
7 Posted 26/04/2015 at 00:29:59
I can only see that happening if Man Utd find a player better than him... and thatÂ’s not happening anytime soon.
James Marshall
8 Posted 26/04/2015 at 00:33:33
I just looked up his age, and he turns 30 in October so perhaps a bit older than I stated above. You’re right about them needing a replacement – the other issue if the commercial aspect. He brings in a huge amount of revenue to Man Utd as well – to put it into perspective, he has the 6th highest Twitter following of any athlete in the World, not just footballers.

That says a lot these days about his popularity, and commercial value. He has massive sponsorship deals with major companies too which would be unlikely to hold the same interest if he came to a tinpot outfit like Everton.

Liam Reilly
9 Posted 26/04/2015 at 00:58:56
In a world of football mercenaries, what a statement it would make if he was to come back before he was adjudged over then hill.

Many say he never lived up to his earlier hype; but look at his trophy cabinet.

My only regret was that he didnÂ’t leave earlier in the window and give BK no option but to spend money on a replacement. Instead, it was too late and we went on to finish 4th; how did that happen again?

Nick Armitage
10 Posted 26/04/2015 at 01:24:48
Will he come back or could he come back?

"Could come back" is a tabloid headline. "Will come back" is a different kettle of fish, but why would he?

The best thing he can do for Everton is stay at Man Utd on stupid money then retire and buy the club and employ some people with a vision and ambition to take things forwards.

It wonÂ’t happen though, Kenwright will sanction a deal and Robert will wheel him out as a fat 36-year-old with a comb-over at season ticket renewal time.

Phil Sammon
11 Posted 26/04/2015 at 01:23:36
I think this interview is worthy of two entirely separate threads. The Rooney issue perhaps grabs the headlines but, for me, itÂ’s JagielkaÂ’s assessment of this upcoming summer that really intrigues.

The captain of our club saying he expects plenty of changes. YouÂ’d expect him to be privy to most goings on at the top of the club given his senior status. We can of course speculate who the inÂ’s and outÂ’s might be but, truth be told, weÂ’re all guessing. I just hope we can hang on to the likes of Stones, Lukaku and, I know heÂ’s not everyoneÂ’s favourite, but Mirallas too.

Hopefully the biggest change of all comes from the top. Martinez needs to buck his ideas up. Tactically, basic fitness, his team selections and this whole Â’experience over formÂ’ nonsense has to improve if we are going to get anywhere next season. I am ever the optimist regarding Everton. I genuinely believe we are a special club. Right now I am finding it hard to get excited about anything though. I really hope that can be put right. A 4-0 romp over Man Utd today would be a good start.

Mark Andersson
12 Posted 26/04/2015 at 01:58:38
Spot on, Phil. My worry is I think Martinez’s judgement when it comes to players in and players out is suspect at best. He let two strikers leave who could have made a difference at the tail end of last season.

We had the farce of the big African on loan for cover, scores a dodgy goal then he kept Kone company in the treatment room

But nothing will surprise me in the summer. The only certain is there will be plenty for us to debate.

Peter Barry
13 Posted 26/04/2015 at 02:36:38
Rooney has enough money to buy Everton and that is probably the only way he could return.
Matt Traynor
14 Posted 26/04/2015 at 03:32:11
Liam #9, Rooney was still injured so there was no urgency for him to move before deadline day. The charade of the Newcastle bid was to give the illusion of a bidding war, but he was only ever going to Man Utd.

Also, the structuring of the deal was different to how Man Utd normally do deals. The £10m up front, £10m year 2, and the rest on fulfilment clauses (which were always going to be fulfilled at some point over the following 3 years) – that was all Everton’s insistence to stagger the payments to avoid the clamour to "spend the Rooney money" which would inevitably have followed.

Unrelated, but I like the way Newcastle shafted Liverpool over the Carroll transfer. They knew they’d just sold Torres, and were desperate, so not only did they put a price of £35m on him, but demanded the entire fee up front – as it was late in the window, Liverpool capitulated. And he was pony!

Samuel Muindi
15 Posted 26/04/2015 at 04:03:06
Kase Chow (#2)

I hate our club for not providing the infrastructure to have made him want to stay. And I hate our club for not having done ANYTHING for the next Wayne Rooney to come through to look around and see the possibility of achieving his ambitions with us.

ThatÂ’s a lot of hate.

Matt Hunter
16 Posted 26/04/2015 at 04:08:02
I am so tired of this "Rooney is an Evertonian" crap. I sat in the Paddock before kick-off when Everton played Man Utd and watched him walk slowly in front of all the Everton fans and slowly kiss his Manchester Utd badge.

I also heard about him screaming all over Finch Farm at David Moyes about wanting to go to Man Utd just a few months after we finished 17th. Then I read comments he made about playing for Manure in the Champions League and how you would never play in games like that for a club like Everton.

I made a promise a long time ago that if he comes back to Everton I will give up my season ticket I will never go to watch Everton live if he is playing for us.

Brian Sephton
17 Posted 26/04/2015 at 05:01:59
Well Matt Hunter, this is what a true Blue does. Tthere is no player bigger than the team. A real supporter goes no matter what, no matter who is playing.

And I donÂ’t blame Rooney at all, I just feel sorry we never had him. He wonÂ’t come back whilst Manure pay him 5 times what we would.

Nigel Munford
18 Posted 26/04/2015 at 05:47:51
Ernie #4 I Â’grew upÂ’ and realised football was all about money in December 1971, when my then hero Alan Ball signed for the Gunners, I was 11 and my world came to an end for a short while, but there were soon new heros to replace him, but I can still remember that Daily Mirror back page!!
Ian Jones
19 Posted 26/04/2015 at 05:54:12
I am always intrigued with these Â’Rooney coming back to Everton towards the end of his career storiesÂ’ especially when I think how much he would expect as payment.

Also is this interview not similar to one Jags gave earlier in season.

Andy Codling
20 Posted 26/04/2015 at 07:01:41
Matt 16, Rooney had also took a huge amount of stick from the crowd and kissing the badge obviously was his way of having a go back and also he was still a young boy at the time.

He went on and won everything so good luck to the lad, I'd have him back tomorrow.

Paul Andrews
21 Posted 26/04/2015 at 07:25:34
After Alan Ball, Rooney is the best player I have seen in an Everton shirt.
Darren Hind
22 Posted 26/04/2015 at 06:59:17
Nigel #18

Like you and many others, I too too thought the world would come to an end when Bally was sold. There have been many players since who I have admired, even loved, but for me, BallyÂ’s shoes have never quite been filled.

Rooney could have been the man, but he chose another path. His trophy cabinet may well be better stocked than it would have been if he stayed, so too is his bank balance, but IMO, by signing for a club where he would be just another superstar, he gave up the chance to become a truly world class player.

Running to celebrate RonaldoÂ’s last-minute penalty in front of the Evertonians even though the kick was taken at the Stretford End did it for me. There was 70,000 Mancs he could have run to.

"Always a blue" ? ... please, stop.

Eugene Ruane
23 Posted 26/04/2015 at 07:54:27
Whatever he does (or doesnÂ’t do), he wonÂ’t be leaving Man Utd until he has their goal-scoring record. He needs 20 to break it, so another season at least (unless record-holder Â’wor BobbyÂ’ can figure out a way to fuck him off).

Given their hatred of all things Scouse, I quite like the idea of their greatest goal-scorer ever being a Scouser.

Tony Abrahams
24 Posted 26/04/2015 at 08:12:35
ItÂ’s a tricky one, who knows the truth?

Look at the debt Everton still hold, then go back eleven years to remember the shambles the club was in, when he left. ItÂ’s quite possible that the money Everton received for Rooney saved our future, it definitely must have taken the pressure off with the banks.

IÂ’m sure he loves Everton and would want to play for them again but, as Jagielka says, if he doesnÂ’t want it to end in tears, it would have to be soon.

HeÂ’s done some stupid things like Darren says, but IÂ’m sure he does love Everton. Anyone who gives a brass their autograph is obviously a crank, and as the great man said. ONCE EVERTON HAS TOUCHED YOU!

Paul Ellam
25 Posted 26/04/2015 at 08:24:18
James (#6) has it spot on for me. Selling Rooney helped this club a lot in my opinion and, while I didnÂ’t like to see him go, the money was much needed. I actually think if we had kept him we would probably have got relegated because too much emphasis was put on playing through him. Once he went, we became a "team" again.

I donÂ’t hate him and never have and would like to see him play for us again (if fit and able). Unfortunately, I donÂ’t see it ever happening. There is no way under this board we could afford him!

Andy Meighan
26 Posted 26/04/2015 at 08:42:30
Great shout from Matt (#16). Who can forget him sliding on his knees towards the Man Utd fans when Yobo had just put it on a plate for him screaming with joy? Or the numerous badge-kissing when about to take corners.

I personally think heÂ’s a fantastic player but I donÂ’t think for one minute heÂ’d ever come back here, and why would he? Hardly an attractive proposition, are we? Oh and Nick (#10), how do you do a combover on a wig? Just a thought, like...

Eddie Dunn
27 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:01:30
Sorry, for me he must never return. He wore that tee-shirt "once a blue"; he kissed his Man Utd badge in front of Evertonians.

He followed the money. He may have been young, and had a bunch of snakes advising him, but he dropped us.

Have some pride. He went out of the door and took the golden purse, so let him live in Mancdom with his phoney admirers, who secretly hate him because he is a souser.

Denis Richardson
28 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:11:36
Interesting to hear that put captain thinks (like most of us) this summer will see a big turnover in the squad, whereas our esteemed manager reckons we only need Â’2 or 3Â’ faces!

He also mentions unhappy players as theyÂ’re not getting enough games. Wonder how many that could be? Garbutt, Oviedo, Robles?

Murdo Laing
29 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:20:10
Agree on the issue you highlighted Paul (#25), I remember watching that Everton team from the Upper Bullens when Rooney was basically brilliant a young kid surrounded by worthy, yet ageing pros like Steve Watson and Mark Pembridge, and most times he was our main "get out" option.... at just 16 years old. At that time, we were a club who had exhausted all our options, and we had to sell our main asset.

Both Manchester United and Everton came out of it better teams, and we had some funds with which Moyes could rebuild, which he did. I agree also with Eugene that Wazza will want to break that United goalscoring record before he even contemplates moving on, by which time he will be the wrong side of 30. ItÂ’s just not going to happen.

Graham Duffy
30 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:32:55
Matt Hunter (#16) and Eddie Dunn (#27) – Spot on 100%.
Tony McNulty
31 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:27:38
2020 - "Roll up, roll up. Get your season tickets here. This way for the Fat Hamster."

Bring back Big Nev as well. We may never fill the stadium but we will certainly fill our goal when defending corners.

Kase Chow
32 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:33:02
Hello Patrick Murphy (#5),

IÂ’m not accusing Kenwright of taking money out of the club. Please re read my post.

My annoyance is that when Rooney came through, we didnÂ’t have the basis of a club to make him believe he could achieve his ambitions with us.

And for any other potential stars (Barkley, Stones), nothing has changed. We havenÂ’t done anything to improve the club as a whole. ThatÂ’s negligent and poor business sense.

ThatÂ’s whatÂ’s upset me. Why would any future stars stay with us?

Glen Garrett
33 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:20:35
It makes me laugh. Rooney will never go back to Everton. Everton are better of without Rooney.

Rooney is not a true Evertonian; money went to his head and he fucked off. If Rooney really loved Everton Football Club, he would have stayed for a while longer.

As I said before, football is about money, not about the passion for the club. If you're "once a blue, always a blue" then your passion lies with Everton Football Club. Rooney isn’t a blue – he is all for Man United. Fuck Rooney.

Dave Abrahams
34 Posted 26/04/2015 at 09:52:58
Very much doubt if he will come back. As a player he would always be in my all time Everton team.

I remember in one of the first games when he came back, he made a great move and finished with a shot just off target, I involuntary clapped him, as I do with all good play. regardless of who does it, this loon rushes down to me with the veins sticking out of neck screaming "You’re not clapping that bastard are you?" I looked at him and said "I wish we had eleven bastards like him" – and I still do.

Shane Corcoran
35 Posted 26/04/2015 at 10:06:35
Graham Duffy, Matt Hunter and Eddie Dunn, I agree completely.
All sorts may have gone on behind the scenes, but ultimately he couldnÂ’t wait to leave his boyhood club so I have no interest in seeing him back in the blue.
James Marshall
36 Posted 26/04/2015 at 10:13:08
Hating Wayne Rooney is misguided at best. Bitter and misguided over something that he had very little to do with.

Stories of him screaming all over Finch Farm? What? First of all, Finch Farm wasnÂ’t even open when Rooney was at Everton so thatÂ’s the first of your inaccuracies, the rest is pure fantasy.

He kissed the badge in front of a baying mob of mindless Evertonians hell bent on spitting vitriolic hatred at him – what do you expect him to do in return?

Have some perspective.

Eugene Ruane
37 Posted 26/04/2015 at 10:12:39
Eddie Dunn (27) - "Sorry, for me he must never return. He wore that tee-shirt "once a blue", he kissed his Utd badge in front of Evertonians. He followed the money. He may have been young, and had a bunch of snakes advising him, but he dropped us. Have some pride."

Get real ffs, he was little more than a child when he wore the ’once a blue’ t-shirt (14? 15?) he kissed the Man Utd badge in response to 40,000 singing that his wife takes it up the arse or that he’s a fat little nob-head or whatever – and they ALL follow the money, including everyone who plays for us.

Sad that we couldnÂ’t keep him, but if you think it was as simple as Â’he dropped usÂ’, youÂ’re deluded.

Because of the staggeringly inept way weÂ’re run, we needed the money and his sale provided it.

Eddie Dunn
38 Posted 26/04/2015 at 10:43:41
Eugene; I understand the circumstances, but would you have kissed the Man Utd badge?

I wouldnÂ’t.

Pat Waine
39 Posted 26/04/2015 at 10:46:41
There is a lot of crap written about Kenwright here. I for one appreciate what he has done. I know he doesn’t have the cash but there are a lot of chairmen who don’t. He is however a blue. I will support him until another option that can take the club forward is there. Let's support the chairman, the manager, and the team... and let's support the club Everton – like all Evertonians should do.
James Marshall
40 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:06:37
Eddie – how can you say you wouldn’t in light of the facts as Eugene jut mentioned? Thousands of people chanting things about your wife/family and you can’t say anything back to them so what do you do? You kiss the badge because it’s two-fingers up to the chanting mob, without actually sticking two fingers up and thus getting into all sorts of bother.

I completely respect him for it, in fact – Rooney has had untold stick from Evertonians for 11 years, and has handled it as well as could be expected in my opinion.

He left Everton because Everton is a badly run football club that needed the money. That is a fact.

Dave Williams
41 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:01:47
He took the money and we needed him to go as we were under huge pressure financially and his sale provided stability. Any one of us would have been tempted by the cash – to my knowledge, he has no other skill to fall back on so he had to maximise his potential while he could.

Remember Paul Lake at Man City – one minute touted as the next Bobby Moore; next minute, career over. Yes, Wayne made a bad decision to kiss the badge etc but he was very young and, whilst I swore at the TV when he did it, I can remember when I was 18 and may have done the same with fans giving me all sorts of abuse for having moved.

Maybe Wayne can get together with the incredibly rich Tommy Gravesen and form their own consortium to buy the club – that would make for interesting times!

James Marshall
42 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:17:58
I hear Tommy is living the high-life, gambling with his £100m fortune in Vegas these days – good luck to him I say!
Kevin Tully
43 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:19:29
Ha - Kenwright couldn’t wait to cash in on him. The only resistance he put up was to put his mammy on the phone to Fergie. Barkley or Stones will be the next sacrificial lambs to prop up the carpetbaggers. Yes, I know every club sells players, but we do it to keep the banks happy – massive difference.
Patrick Murphy
44 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:09:33
Kase - you wrote Â’the chairman will pocket 70% of the wedge and make the remaining 30% available for transfers. Brilliant!Â’

I misinterpreted what you wrote but I didnÂ’t misread it, I understand your sentiments in the context of the club withholding funds for new players and as you say it can be very frustrating, but that is how the club has been run for at least a couple of decades.

Derek Thomas
45 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:05:59
Eddie@38, I will only speak for myself, not you or Eugene or others, but even now looking back down the years, I CRINGE at some of the totally stupid things I did or said, sometimes when I didnÂ’t even have the excuse of callow youth to fall back on. Not withstanding that, when is his next contract up? How old will he be? How good will he still be?

I like the idea of it, but thatÂ’s just me being a sentimental softie. ItÂ’s all a bit Boys own, Rover, Wizard, Roy of the Rovers, Limp-a-long Leslie, tbh.

Back in the real world: we give too many, too old players, too long a contract as it is.

Paul Holmes
46 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:50:42
Great idea – swop him for Barkley!
Sam Hoare
47 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:53:27
I would love him back. Imagine him playing No 10 behind Lukaku. Maybe in another 2 years when heÂ’ll be 31 but still have 2 or 3 top years left. We could use his passion.

Probably unrealistic but would be very beneficial for us, on and more so off the pitch.

As for kissing the badge etc, would have taken a saint to not have done something like that given the constant goading...

Eddie Dunn
48 Posted 26/04/2015 at 11:49:17
Remember these things called "Principles". ItÂ’s what the modern game lacks. Loyalty. Rooney was being rewarded well for his age, and could have stayed for another year, as I was hoping at the time.

So he was young, so what? It is simple for me. He decided to go, and he didnÂ’t go for the sake of the clubÂ’s bank balance, but his own.

ItÂ’s not personal, I like him and have always enjoyed watching him, but he had made his bed. I hate this small-time bullshit, have some balls. He let us down, and for all we know, that could at the time been the thing that relegated us the next season. We didnÂ’t know that we would play better without him. It was an admission from our club, of weakness.

Watch today, Eugene, and see if he celebrates if he scores, or if his mate scores, and then tell me that he should come back when heÂ’s got no pace and fancies a final pay-day, so he can make friends again, so no hard feelings etc.

Lewis Barclay
49 Posted 26/04/2015 at 12:12:10
I’d swap Barkley, Lukaku and £10m for him and never look back.
Charles Barrow
50 Posted 26/04/2015 at 14:33:03
IÂ’m sure heÂ’d jump at the chance to come back to Everton when Man Utd no longer want him!

That’s the problem – he’d be over the hill and probably a divisive figure in the dressing room, as he always liked to be the ’main man’. No doubt he would be the highest paid player and demand to play every game. So I’m not sure it would be good for us or him to come back as half the player he was when he left.

I don’t think he’s too attached to Man Utd. The club was/is a vehicle for what he truly loves – money! Remember in the last years of Fergie’s regime he came out with that guff about how Man Utd didn’t match his ambition. He then got his £300k a week. Surprisingly when Moyes took over and they were seriously shit there was not a dicky bird from him about Man Utd not matching his ambition – could there be 300,000 reasons for his silence!!

Although most people seem to have forgiven his youthful indiscretions, he is such an unpleasant personality, IÂ’m not sure we should welcome him back.

Paul Jeronovich
51 Posted 26/04/2015 at 15:29:33
IÂ’d take Rooney in a heartbeat. We all know agents and money rule football and he is a wealthy man with all the medals to back up his earnings too. If in a couple of years we can get him and he still has the desire to try and improve us then bring it on.
Tony Doran
52 Posted 26/04/2015 at 15:44:08
DonÂ’t hate him and donÂ’t rate him. All his gift has been well and truly coached out of him.
Mike Childs
53 Posted 26/04/2015 at 15:36:32
Fascinating reading for this Yank who wasnÂ’t around during that time or BallÂ’s time which seemed to crush most worst than Rooney. I read this on B/R and that had some photos one woman in the crowd had a shirt on "we hate him so much because we love him so much".

Jimmy Mac maybe my favorite player but I thinking I"ll cry even more when we loose Stones. Stones is going to be world class while Jimmy will remain one of the hardest workers in the game.

Matt Hunter
54 Posted 26/04/2015 at 16:02:51
Andy Codling 20, James Marshall 36, I think you both miss the point. I am an Evertonian and I know what my football club means to me. No true Evertonian would kiss a Manchester Utd badge in front of little kids in a disabled row nor would they celebrate goals scored against Everton the way he did.

We are Everton Football Club. ItÂ’s all well and good to forgive Rooney and wish well, but he doesnÂ’t get another chance to wear that blue shirt cause he spat on it, and disrespected what it means to be an Evertonian in the eyes of so many.
Kase Chow
55 Posted 26/04/2015 at 16:06:14
Patrick Murphy - fair enough, what I wrote was ambiguous

However, I did mean withholding funds.

We should have made a better club to make a better team to make better players want to stay.

Eugene Ruane
56 Posted 26/04/2015 at 18:08:31
Matt Hunter (54) - "No true Evertonian would kiss a Manchester Utd badge in front of little kids in a disabled row."

No doubt it was Christmas and snowing and the sad-faced childrenÂ’s daddy couldnÂ’t afford the rent, so the landlord (who had a cape, a top-hat and was twizzling his muzzy) wanted to throw them all out onto the street.

Shane Corcoran
57 Posted 26/04/2015 at 18:21:20
Eugene, did Moyes and Kenwright want to keep him and did he choose to do the opposite?
Matt Hunter
58 Posted 26/04/2015 at 18:19:39
Eugene Ruane (56), very funny. I actually sit in the 2nd row of the paddock behind the disabled row and the game in question was the opening game of the season the year Yobo made that awful back pass right to him. I saw him walk along slowly and repeatedly kissing his badge. Anyway, thatÂ’s not the point: why would anyone want him back?

So Rooney is so good he can’t play for a little club like Everton unless it’s a little pay off for when he can no longer get in Man Utd’s team? We are Everton Football Club – so sad that even most of the fans have forgotten what that means. Twenty years ago, we had won more Championships than Man Utd.

Garry Corgan
59 Posted 26/04/2015 at 19:20:49
I hope, one day, Rooney comes out and publicly declared he wonÂ’t be renewing his Man Utd contract as he wants to finish his career at Everton.

And we say weÂ’re not interested...

Keith Magwood
61 Posted 26/04/2015 at 19:32:31
Wayne Rooney will always be an Evertonian who happened to be employed by another entity .We won today and am sure underneath he was happy.Wwelcome him back with open arms!
Peter McHugh
62 Posted 26/04/2015 at 19:32:29
Matt (54#) did you get upset when he kissed the badge? Did you cry?

In all seriousness, is kissing the badge in front of disabled people a more heinous crime? I think itÂ’s you who is, well, missing several points.

Carl Peters
63 Posted 26/04/2015 at 19:04:50
He broke many Evertonians’ hearts when he left. I donÂ’t hate him, I donÂ’t even just dislike him.... but would I want him back at Everton in a blue shirt? No.
Mike Keating
65 Posted 26/04/2015 at 20:02:27
Just wonder what was going through RooneyÂ’s head (bowed in respect) when his scumbag admirers began jeering through todayÂ’s minutes silence.

I tried to raise the question on the Radio 5 phone in without response - will be interesting to see if it is air brushed out of MotD tonight...

Danny Broderick
66 Posted 26/04/2015 at 19:57:21
Torres was in the same boat as Rooney at Atletico. He was always welcomed back, the reason being that, while everyone knew he was too good for them and would eventually have to leave, he at least have them a few years service – he didn’t bugger off at the first sign of any interest from a big club.

That is the big thing that riles me about Rooney leaving. We all react sometimes in the heat of the moment, and IÂ’m sure he has several incidents that he regrets from his career. But why didnÂ’t he stay with us until he was maybe 21? We would have had a few more memories, we would have received more money, and IÂ’m sure he would have avoided some of the bile generated towards him...

Carl Peters
67 Posted 26/04/2015 at 21:31:49
@65 Mike to be fair to the Man Utd fans, I was reading the Red Cafe forum after the match and many of them were absolutely disgusted at the behavour of some of their fans.

Although for the rest of the game we were called all the cunts under the sun, bless them.

Martin Mason
68 Posted 26/04/2015 at 22:00:56
Kase@2. May I please correct you. there is not a shred of evidence that the Everton Chairman or board have taken money out of the club at any level and particularly at the levels which you imply. You need to either substantiate your ridiculous assertions or withdraw them.
Shane Corcoran
69 Posted 26/04/2015 at 22:21:46
Danny (#66), exactly what I think.
John Atkins
70 Posted 26/04/2015 at 22:20:37
Pat Waine @39

Worst post for a long time, nothing more winds me up about my club.

It’s views like that which are crippling our great club and why we are stuck in the past with a wooden stadium and shocking revenue streams – a selling club! It won’t be long before Stones, Coleman and Barkley will be more family silver sold off

The man is a phoney, a liar heÂ’s a bloody actor for goodness sake heÂ’s good at blagging!!!

Just cos he is a Blue doesnÂ’t mean we have to support him.

Gavin Johnson
71 Posted 26/04/2015 at 22:30:33
Pat (#39) – are you sure you’re not Richard Dodd in disguise?
Gerard Carey
72 Posted 26/04/2015 at 22:53:08
If he does come back, beware??!! Lock up your grannies!!!!!!!
Stephen Daniels
73 Posted 27/04/2015 at 02:01:09
No thanks... not for me, but hearing what Jags said about the comings and goings in the summer has got me very worried. Coleman especially I think will be off.
Eugene Ruane
74 Posted 27/04/2015 at 07:13:21
Matt (58) - "Eugene Ruane (56), very funny. I actually sit in the 2nd row of the paddock behind the disabled row and the game in question was the opening game of the season the year Yobo made that awful back pass right to him"

And?

What... are you suggesting, that you had a great view of how upset the disabled children were at RooneyÂ’s badge-kissing?

Sorry, but so blinded are you by your hatred of Rooney, maybe you can’t see the obvious – that the disabled children (that you desperately use to ’strengthen’ you argument) might have found a man kissing a badge less offensive than thousands of adults around them spitting venom about Colleen ’taking it up the arse’ (or whatever).

Did you ask them?

Reality: Thousands of Everton supporters were doing their utmost to offend the player in the most offensive way, he simply responded in kind when he got the chance.

Remember, Rooney’s action was a REaction – imo, a completely normal, natural one given the circumstances.

And no doubt had he instead just stood there and looked terrified or confused (as many seem to think he should have), people would now be posting "Ha ha ha, remember when he was getting loads of stick about shagging grannies and he just stood there like a big shit-house, his bottle proper went lad" etc.

By the way, as for all the sanctimonious Â’no true Evertonian...Â’ nonsense, IÂ’d have thought no true Evertonian would ever want Everton to lose a game, but there were loads (including on TW) practically begging for it before last seasonÂ’s home game against Man City.

Graham Roberts
75 Posted 27/04/2015 at 08:48:16
Ernie (4) - DonÂ’t know how old you are, but I Â’grew upÂ’ when we sold a certain Gary Linker after just one season to Barcelona. Rooney and Lineker now second and third-highest scorers for England. Still support the team, though! COYB
Tony Abrahams
76 Posted 27/04/2015 at 10:33:13
Never went the game, I watched it in a pub so I couldnÂ’t really gauge the crowd, but it seems to me that the less stick we give Rooney, the worse he plays.

He responds to stick, itÂ’s in his make up, but when he doesnÂ’t get any maybe his mind drifts. Maybe heÂ’s thinking I wish I was in blue today?

He left after the Euros in 2004, maybe he will return after the next Euros in 2016. If he does, he would be coming into a much better team than the one he left. Who knows?

Mike Keating
77 Posted 27/04/2015 at 14:11:29
Eugene (74) I completely agree. I felt the same way about the sanctimonious nonsense levelled at Fowler for the snorting-a-line celebration (funny) and Joey Barton for dropping his shorts at the Park End (very funny) following 90 minutes of abuse regarding his murdering step brother.

I even wrote to the FA in BartonÂ’s support pointing out that it was the only moment of entertainment in an otherwise tedious and forgettable display.

Mike Keating
78 Posted 27/04/2015 at 14:41:05
Having watched MotD, I can now answer my own question (#65): while the minute's silence for the anniversary of the Bradford Fire was impeccably observed at the Arsenal game and covered in its entirety by the TV cameras, the jeering clowns who follow Man Utd avoided any comment by the studio pundits because the highlights neatly consigned that minute to the dustbin of history. Quite clearly it never happened. Evertonians who insist that it did are just being bitter (as usual).

I hope they donÂ’t get Top 4 even if it means the RS do and I donÂ’t say things like that often or lightly.

Tony J Williams
79 Posted 27/04/2015 at 15:03:03
Not arsed either way really.

I wouldnÂ’t be upset if he came back but only if he improved the team. DonÂ’t want a sentimental return when he is the size of Big Nev and his hair weaves donÂ’t match the colour of his greying sides. Either way, IÂ’m not going to be upset if he doesnÂ’t come back.

He did what all other brilliant footballers do, he went to the best team at the time and has a bunchload of medals and shitload of dosh in his bank. It has always happened and it always will.

Ant Dwyer
80 Posted 27/04/2015 at 21:56:25
LetÂ’s face it, Rooney is a scouser with a bit of an attitude, he would have loved to have been a blue every time we rammed it up Man Utd, he would love to play and celebrate beating them when they’re all singing Â’If you all hate scousers clap ya handsÂ’.

But fact is we can’t pay him £300k a week so he won’t ever play for us while he’s a top top player, and that’s the top and bottom of it.
Unless a billionaire buys us very very soon, Rooney will never break records at Everton.

Matt Hunter
81 Posted 28/04/2015 at 10:35:03
Eugene Ruane (#74),

I donÂ’t hate Wayne Rooney; frankly, I donÂ’t really care where he plays his football as long as it is not at Everton. Yes, he took a lot of abuse from the Everton fans and he equally did his best to give insults back in whatever way he could. He is not stupid; he would know very well the kind of reception he would get by using the methods he did to leave the club. I mean Francis Jeffers had left the club and Rooney reacted to his (Jeffers) celebration against Everton with his shirt in the Youth Cup Final.

He has an attitude. I was at the game against Bolton (away) when he got a strop on with Moyes for subbing him even though he was just a teenage boy with a crappy attitude who simply thought he was bigger and better than little Everton.

You donÂ’t care about the disrespect that he showed the club because I have doubts you grew up in the 1990s (like I did and like Rooney) and experienced what it was like growing up to support those Everton teams. If he really loved the club the way a true Evertonian, he wouldnÂ’t have done the things he did.

So why would I want to see somebody that was disrespectful to my club come back and play for them? Btw, the reason he gets such abuse even now when he comes back to Everton is because most of the Evertonians donÂ’t want him back at the club and all his PR spinning wonÂ’t change opinion.

Paul Burns
82 Posted 28/04/2015 at 11:55:52
Embarrassing. I wouldnÂ’t even let Rooney or his arl feller into the ground. It's sad suggestions like this that make the club a laughing stock in this city and put off any youngsters from supporting the club.
Paul Dark
83 Posted 28/04/2015 at 13:17:52
What a thing of Jags to say. I can't stand Rooney. He has insulted Everton many times.

No way back for Mr Man Utd, please!

Drew O'Neall
84 Posted 28/04/2015 at 14:10:00
I think the fact he kissed the United badge demonstrates just how hurt he was by the level of hatred directed at him by his own.

If it hadn't bothered him he may have done nothing but it was a hot-headed reaction - put yourself in his position as a lifelong Evertonian who was sold, probably against his wishes.. I wouldn't have known what to do with myself in those circumstances.

As to whether he would come back, I think we have to meet him half way.

As others have said, he has one of the most valuable brands in sport. Moving back to his boyhood club in its current format would signal a retrograde step or even the beginning of the end a la a Beckham move to LA Galaxy.

I think we would have to be in a position where we were challenging for, or already playing, Champions League football for him to return in his prime so as not to diminish his brand too much.

Conversely, his return would do wonders for Everton's brand if our commercial team could... never mind.

Drew O'Neall
85 Posted 28/04/2015 at 14:27:10
Mike 77 - nice one
Jamie Barlow
86 Posted 28/04/2015 at 14:30:52
The commercial team would probably fuck it up anyway Drew.

I went on the official website last night to buy a junior home kit and the only ones they had were the Europa league home kits with Lennons name on the back. He couldnt even play in Europe ffs.

Eddie Dunn
87 Posted 28/04/2015 at 14:58:13
Oh so Ant Dwyer, "he would have loved to have been a blue every time we rammed it up Man Utd, he would love to play and celebrate beating them when they’re all singing ’f you all hate scousers clap ya hands’."

He decided to turn his back on us...he took the money. He whored himself out to the enemy, then he committed treason in front of his own people, kissing that dirty badge.(players get horrid stick all the time- it doesn’t mean you have to disrespect everyone in the ground, not just those who are winding you up)
He is not worthy of the blue shirt anymore.

Eugene Ruane
89 Posted 28/04/2015 at 17:28:31
Eddie (87) - "He decided to turn his back on us...he took the money. He whored himself out to the enemy, then he committed treason in front of his own people, kissing that dirty badge"

(tuts, wearily shakes head and rolls eyes)

Yeah I heard he also bummed a frog, kicked a cripple's stick away, shat down the chimney of an orphanage, taped an episode of Howard's Way over his mam and dad's wedding video and shot a load of 'baby-batter' into Moyes' egg salad when Moyes knocked the chips on the head in the Utd canteen.

Eddie Dunn
90 Posted 28/04/2015 at 18:44:25
Eugene...keep 'em comin' lad! Love it.
Joe Clitherow
91 Posted 28/04/2015 at 20:11:06
Eugene

Bummed a frog? Not sure about that one but I can well believe all the others.

All, obviously except kicking the cripple's stick away. That's Duncan Ferguson you've confused him with, that is....

Mike Keating
92 Posted 28/04/2015 at 20:45:53
Bummed a Frog - surely Cantona had retired by then?
Ian Bennett
93 Posted 28/04/2015 at 20:54:15
At times he plodded after Barkley like he wore concrete boots, his spark gone.
Ant Dwyer
94 Posted 29/04/2015 at 01:59:46
Eddie Dunn, completely agree but he was only a young lad when he left and I'm not saying we should get him back but I think he'd love to try his hand being back at us.

Again this is only an opinion, he's never going to come back, so fuck him!! I must say though he's still a top top footballer.


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