Sense over sentiment should preclude Rooney return

I've supported Everton since I can't remember. This club is about heart as much as head, and if Rooney's heart chose Everton over his pocket then we'd be blessed with a, fading, but committed talent.

So now, with our new, bettered hopes for future Premier League campaigns, I would not want Wayne Rooney back as a player. I'd love him in any capacity other than that later, though.

Would he get in the first XI right now? probably. If we play the 3-4-3 formation, with width from the fullbacks and two off Lukaku, as central attacking midfielders, in the channels, in the old inside left and inside right positions, then yes, Rooney and Barkley off Lukaku would be better than what we have.

But Rooney would arrive in the Summer at the earliest. As Lyndon says, he's not going to drop from 𧷤k per week to less than 𧴜,k per week. Would he agree a one year deal with an option (in Everton's favour) for a second term? Probably not. It would need to be a two year term with an option for a third.

So what's 34-year-old Rooney going to be like? as much as I want him back, I cannot see how, at his current rate of diminishing talent, that he will be anything like worth 𧴜k a week. And therein is the bottom line for me. One a free, forget wages and the rest, yes, I would take him. But when you factor in we'd effectively pay him over 㾶M, I just cannot see how it would be worth it.

It's a shame, as he definitely looks done at united, and I think "coming home" could rejuvenate him, ignite the spark within him one last time and maybe get one last great season out of him, but after next year, at the age of 33-34, I just think he's done. He's a classic sports car with 500,000 miles on the clock. It's a beauty but it's just not worth the price tag.

Well if we can't, then we really are fucked.

THE END.

The honest choice would be between extending his wealth into the category of hundreds of millions via the China option, or taking the sentimental option by playing for free/expenses at Everton... all assuming he and the club would want him to play. That would be really "Giving back" to the boyhood club.

Much as I wonder and lament like many at what might have been, to bring him back to Everton on that kind of money would be an insulting nod to the business-first nature of football. Of course, the club would be quick to flog the merchandise in the same vein. Could we really stand the hypocrisy of the oily "Old boy" fest draped atop the obvious?

As covered above, let's move on. I doubt Rooney is of any use to us at this stage anyway. Five years back, maybe – but that was never going to happen.

It would be an expensive way of standing still. Let's go forward.

Despite being a sentimental fool and an admirer if Rooney's talents, the head says: No way, Jose.

I would take him back to coach the strikers though instead of Franny Jeffers (which I still find bizarre). I hated him leaving but didn't hate him for leaving; in that team he was in, he wouldn't have won much.

Fair conclusion, too.

No, no and no from me.

It would also raise our profile that is not as high as we would all like to think outside of Merseyside never mind the wider football world. Rooney still is big news in the football world and the story of him returning to his boyhood club would be big news globally.

Might not be a bad thing so long as the manager was free to pick his best 11 and not be pressured to playing Rooney all the time regardless of form etc.

He left when he was 18, giving his boyhood club fewer than two seasons before the riches and trophies up the A580 turned his head. Would it have killed him to give us two or three more years?

Wages, age, ability – all moot in my opinion. You don't shit on your own doorstep and expect to be welcomed home.

Nope, sorry Lyndon (much though I deeply respect your contribution to Evertonianism, and I do), I'm a stubborn old-style Evertonian. Alan Ball and Brian Labone "Once you have been touched" & "One Evertonian".

Wayne was, is and always will (to me) be our prodigal hero. WE sold HIM. But HE has paid the price, over and over and over.

Forgive him ?
He is the one who retains the right to forgive.

He kissed a foreign badge in retaliation for being sold out. I completely understand his frustration. Sold by the club he STILL adores. The club that his kids follow. The club that his kids wear shirts.

Wayne Rooney IS one of ours. He's broken their records and still they won't love him. I did, I do, I always will.

That lad would walk, nay CRAWL on broken glass for his Everton shirt.

Bring him home, he's been wrongly punished because our boardroom have been skimping tightarses for decades. Decades of barren hopelessness.

If Wayne wants to play in Royal Blue, he can. We sold out on him, not vice versa. All part of the "Plucky LITTLE Everton syndrome". BIG Everton would have had SUPERSTARS all around our wonderkid. That's not Wayne's fault.

Give him back his Royal Blue Shirt !

Would he bring someone to the club with a winning mentality, who expects to win when on the pitch? Yes. C

ould the likes of Barkley, Davies, Calvert-Lewin and of course Lukaku learn from him? Yes.

Was signing Barry a bad move when he was no longer deemed good enough at City? Yes.

Would he right now be an improvement to the players we can put out on a weekly basis? Yes.

So, offer 㿞k a week for 2 or 3 yreas and build into his contract tidy bounuses for Champs League qualification and/or League Titles. Maybe, we'll have those 1 or 2 decent years... he'll redeem himself to all (most) blues and we'll be on route to where we want to be.

Most fans would be fairly happy with that deal for what he could bring on the pitch, off the pitch and eventually in the academy when 34/35. I also think Big Dunc being in the mix would help see it a worthwhile deal for all parties too.

I personally feel China wouldn't come close to a deal like the one mentioned above for him as he's always been a blue at heart. Anyway, what a predicament to have? Kooooman ya Blues!

For silly money – no. But we'd be cutting our nose of to spite our face if we didn't consider something if it were financially viable – he now has all the experience we need and a good amount of the quality he always had.

The mere fact he is who he is – or more pointedly, was – is ridiculous reasoning for having him back.

He's marginalised, redundant and past it.

What next, team him up with Ginola and Gascoigne in midfield?

This is forward-thinking, Koeman and Moshiri-driven Everton today, surely.

No room whatsoever for Rooney here.

If he was to sign for Everton he'd be on around 𧴜k a week, which isn't that bad if got him on a free or nominal fee. One sure thing is we'll be the only club where Rooney would take that kind of drop in wages.

On a commercial level, it would be a step forward. Rooney is one of the biggest names in football. As a club we're trying to raise our profile in the world game. Didn't Man Utd make the transfer fee back on Pogba, on his and Zlatan's shirt sales?! Of course we wouldn't make anything like that kind of money, but I don't think Rooney would necessarily be a bad deal, if it's just a case of us paying wages in the region of 𧴜k per week.

And most importantly, he's still a fantastic player. It's an unequivocal yes from me.

How many players do Everton currently have that are commercially BIGGER than Wayne Rooney?

I think most fans would take him back if the wages were befitting a player so obviously past his prime but not to compete with the silly money he's rumoured to be expecting in China.

Would he turn down the offer of money for the sake of sentiment, I imagine you ask? Well, he has form for that, now doesn't he.

Despite him trying to court favour at testimonials, he chose to turn his back on his so-called beloved club and obviously believes he is wanted back even after cashing in on the China Syndrome.

On yer bike – or is it your Hummer!

Footballers are contractors and his best way of fulfilling his dreams was to move away to brighter lights and virtually guaranteed success.

Fans who called him a traitor were wrong. Loyalty is a one sided coin when you are a contractor and every professional player would echo that statement.

However, I agree with Lyndon and do not want him back at this stage of his career. If we are to take anyone from the Manchester clubs then it must be someone with at least five decent years in him. I am tired of us taking the surplus stock, injury prone has been's just to get them off their pay rolls.

Saha was a fine player BEFORE he joined us, but he was very injury prone.Gibson has been a night mare signing and I was really relieved to see him head for Sunderland. Howard was a good servant for us and I exclude him from any blame.< Phil Neville was pretty moderate at his best.

Koeman and Moshiri are starting to play some youngsters and the fans ambitions have been raised so please do not lapse into taking players into their 30s who are showing wear and tear.

1) Does Koeman want him or not?

2) If he does, can we pay him?

Oh and 'sense over sentiment' is something I wouldn't worry about.

Koeman doesn't seem the type to begin weeping when a contestant on The X-Factor (holding back the tears) reveals "I've chosen to sing 'You Make Me Feel So Young' coz it reminds me of me nan who was savaged to death by 5 tigers after she fell into the big cat enclosure in Chester Zoo last year."

A beautiful garden is the perfect example of God and Man working together in harmony. Mind you, you should have seen the state of my garden when God was doing it by himself.

Yes, Rooney would struggle getting a game ahead of the likes of Enner Valencia, Arouna Kone and young Calvert-Lewin, Don.

Also; two things, would Koeman want him and/or would he want to come.

I think this sentiment of getting him back because he is one of our own is a mindset we need to forget. He was, he left, he suceeded in another shirt and is now on decline. We have Ross and Tom Davies as our new era, lets embrace that and watch it grow and achieve.

This is a new Everton. I am not sure why but I was well impressed we sponsored The Open, haha!

And yeah, agreed. Let's look forward to the next Rooney. Stating Rooney is better than a stop-gap loan signing, a crocked bottle-blonde and a kid is not exactly high praise.

On a hypothetical note had Alex Ferguson stayed a while longer as manager, Rooney would have been shown the door by 2014 when he might have been a more attractive, if still unaffordable, prospect for us.

To top that, he would bring an awful lot to the youngsters, coaching role or no coaching role, and watching him live my dream when he was a 16-year-old, it would be ace to see him back. Fingers crossed.

And who would prefer he gets game time over Lookman?

Now, when he is no longer wanted by them, having given his best years, I would welcome him back as a supporter but as a player he decided to give his best to another team so I would not welcome him back as a player.

Terry, offer any Everton supporter 㿞k a week to play for the blues or 𧶀k a week to play for Man Utd and I am sure the majority would want to play for the Blues.

Yet sometimes I've noticed when he's motivated he does get a few pounds off and is quicker. I suspect if he came to us now, we'd see him motivated like that and he'd enjoy the challenge.

All of us Everton fans would play for our club for the wages we probably earn now. So we all struggle to understand why a fellow fan wouldn't return for reduced wages when he is already made for life.

I think we should go in for him because it will bring in commercial revenue, be of benefit to the dressing room to have a winner in there, and he could be a great Captain. He cannot and must not play in the Barkley role but instead be back up to Lukaku or play as a deeper lying midfielder. He is that good a player that he doesn't have to be a striker.

But a caveat. We were conned when we sold him as we should have got such a better deal. Paying astronomical wages to bring him back just cannot happen because he won't play every game.

And for the fitness and financial reasons, mainly the latter, I doubt he will ever come back. Sad.

It was worth reading the thread for your poster story!

As for the actual topic – meh!

A thread which frequently resurfaces on TW every month or so, which as the years past diminishes in relevance as Wayne's own prowess also fades.

I hold no rancour with the lad. I didn't despise him at 18 when he departed. There were far larger predatory sharks in both camps who drove the deal more than the precocious cocky teenager from Crocky.

I don't begrudge him the monumental career he carved out for himself at Man Utd. Given his level and ability and the state of our club at the time, we were never going to see him play in the Royal Blue of Everton during his peak years.

His peak years are now behind him. The powers and edge to his game he had are diminishing. Yes, he is a better player with a winner's mentality than probably every player currently at Everton. However, there are other criteria which need to be taken into consideration, not those alone. Mere sentimentality should be way down that list.

As Eugene writes, for this to have even a sniff of a chance of happening, the 2 primary considerations are probably first, does Koeman fancy him? And he was quite clear a few months back when asked about the possibility of Wayne returning to Everton – Yes!

Secondly, is the commercial and financial question. And that, regardless of Koeman's opinion, is much more likely to skittle any deal. He is contracted to United until the summer of 2019. They won't give him away, least of all with the silly money Chinese clubs are paying. He can still command a premium transfer fee.

Add to that his astronomical salary and even in Moshiri's Brave New World (although still not much evidence of a bottomless sack of money being invested on the playing side...) I just can't see this as viable.

If we have the kind of money it would take to sign and pay Rooney, I think it could be better invested elsewhere in players.

Conclusion: don't blow a huge wedge of the player acquisition budget on the aging fading Rooney; find players 10-12 years his junior with the potential to take his crown as one of the world's most coveted players.

If only it were that simple.

Wayne's signing would prove to be nothing more than a PR scoop.

In 5 years time, fans will not believe how far we have progressed from this thread.

If he comes back in the next window, it's at a massive reduction in the wage he'd pocket just playing out his current one.

I watched him playing in Ferguson's testimonial. Goodison seemed delighted to see him back in Blue. But no denying he's past his best. The quickness and acceleration of old are gone.

He can play still, though. So, if he does come back in the Summer, it's because he wants to wrap-up his big league career at his home Club. Which should count for something.

I can't see it happening.

We are talking about negatives but the one positives include his drive, leadership and determination to succeed. He would leave United with a point to prove that he isn't finished. If Koeman does try to sign him, it will be because of his ability and the fact that he is the best availble that we can sign, not a soppy 'Wayne's coming home' storyline.

I think it's probably not going to happen, but part of me hopes it does.

He would improve us NOW
He is on massive money
Any capital outlay would be lost
He will want a >2-year contract
He wants a last hurrah at EFC

Conclusion:

Engineer a move to the US and return on loan to Everton in the first year's off-season, à la Frank Lampard.

Any questions?

I remember the sheer excitement, when he burst onto the scene, of having a future club legend and potential world player of the year, with his whole career ahead of him.

Then he fucked off, having scored less than 20 goals, and achieving next to nothing.

What is there to be sentimental about? He decided Everton weren't good enough, and couldn't pay him enough, as he was entitled to do.

Now, he is not good enough for Everton (and we probably still can't pay him enough)! And stop with the "better than Kone" bullshit – I haven't seen it mentioned that he's available at the end of February.

This is obviously an area that needs strengthened but there are countless better options out there. Onwards and upwards.

He's had a great career, no doubt. He made his decision, and he should have to live with any regrets. I know he probably won't have too many, sitting in his mansion looking at all the zeros in his bank account. I say "regrets", knowing that most of the guys on here would cut their own arm off to be good enough to earn a living playing football, let alone starring for the Toffees every week.

COYB

Indeed, when they were on the way up, they had a habit of buying has-beens who did a very good job for them.

Is Rooney past his best? Probably. Has he really fallen that far that he wouldn't dramatically improve us both on and off the pitch? Doubt it.

Imagine the impact it would have on the young players to see a football legend entering the dressing room. And imagine what his experience could do for the club.

It's a no-brainer for me.

Firstly, he would have to take a significant wage drop. His wages would still be massive, but if he did this he would show that he still has a passion for the sport, which could only be beneficial. On a business front, he would raise Everton's profile and help sell more merchandise!

From a footballing point of view, despite his age, it would make sense. He can play in midfield, he can play upfront and he has a wealth of knowledge to offer. He wouldn't have to be a starter every game (if he could accept that!) I think he would compliment the youngsters coming through instead of blocking them , that is down to how the situation is managed!

More importantly, would he improve the squad? Yes, in my opinion, but for how long for?

The contract would be interesting too. How long would be acceptable and what would he accept? Would a 2-year contract be okay for all parties? Could he be sold for a nice profit in the 2nd year!? Who knows?

As mentioned, we could get a younger quality player for the wages we paid him, but how much would the fee be for that younger player compared to Rooney's fee?

However, I think it is all academic as I think with agents involved, he'll be offski to China for one last swansong and who could blame him? Pressure free, loads of cash and an easier time of it!

Rooney isn't as intelligent, or technically gifted as Zola.

While Rooney could make an impact, the real question is "can we get better?" for the reported 𧴜k per week (which he'll probably turn his nose up at anyway, greedy twat).

I'd rather get a proven goal scorer, and promising youngster, than waste money on Rooney.

I'm not saying it would work, I'm saying we'd be foolish to turn it down if it was an option. No player as good as Rooney will come to Everton until the likes of Rooney come to Everton.

I don't want us to sign a payer as good as Rooney currently is, I want better... much better.

Could it be a bigger club mentality?

The sad thing about all this is that the Mancs hardly hold him in any high regard anyway. Yet he sacrificed himself for the club, constantly playing out of his best position so that less adaptable superstars could grab the limelight.

I also think his goals-to-game ratio is amongst their best, maybe even better than Charlton's. They should thank him wholeheartedly.

I do hope to see him back at Goodison soon. In the stand with a blue-and-white scarf on and his kids by his side. I'd even go the pub with him, if he shouted his round.

Now, as an Aussie, who the hell has been criticising Saint Timmy?

I can see your point, but Man United are a bigger club and have more players of Rooney's ilk than we do. So in order to get to Man Utd's level we have to do it step by step.

I would say our standing has gradually increased over time. Under Moyes, players stopped leaving in droves and the likes of Arteta gave us many seasons instead of abandoning ship. Since then we have come on further, we are able to keep hold of the likes of Lukaku, or tell clubs no sale if the an offer doesn't suit us, à la Stones/Chelsea! We now have a chairman with finances /business know how/connections in place! These things don't happen overnight.

My final point on the matter is, what top players would join us at this exact moment and why would they join us? I am all for a big club mentality, again it doesn't happen overnight.

I do crave a creative player, one who has enough pace to also play wide if needs be. Again, not Rooney.

There was a time that we had to operate in a more constrained and humble manner, and either cheaper players or those at Rooney's stage of career were mostly the only choice available to us. That mould was broken with the purchase of Lukaku.

We're of course not at United's level of "Bigness". Nor are we a million miles behind them on the pitch with what we have right now; a team of more younger players than before, and potential growing nicely in the background. We should only consider Rooney if we need Rooney... and we don't.

I doubt Rooney's presence at this stage would draw top players to us. Only a gradually improving stature as a club and whole team will do that (plus the dosh for wages of course). That gradual growth should be based on players for the longer term, IMO.

I'll go back to Chelsea, it's what they did. We have no other chance of signing a player of Rooney's stature. Regardless of what anyone thinks of him, the are very few players in world football with his reputation. That alone makes it a no-brainer. But I also happen to think he isn't a spent force.

But wait – how old is Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Played 24 Premier League games... scored 15 goals to date.

I would love to have Rooney up to that age producing those type of numbers. Title winners very possible with Rooney back.

We are past signing him now. Maybe a year ago when we were still being run as a sentimental lovely little club...

Now Koeman and Moshiri have us run as a professionally run club, it won't happen. Koeman will have Man Utd in his sights as one of the clubs we can compete with positionally next season. If he's not good enough for them, he's not good enough for us.

If he went to play in China and donated all his proceeds to the stadium project...

Me, right now, I'd have him back in a heartbeat. He was outstanding in Ferguson's testimonial and he has forgotten more than most of our present squad will ever know.

Back in a blue shirt, knocking one in, I doubt even the most ardent anti-Rooney squad would moan.

He could do a job for us short term but, in all honesty, there are better options out there at the moment. His best years are behind him and have been for the past couple of seasons.

Zlatan at 35 is far better than Rooney at 31. Wayne has looked off the pace for a few years now, and rarely ever plays as a striker due to this.

Rooney has 2 league goals this year, playing with very creative players. Our right back has double that figure.

He's not dynamic enough for our midfield, he's too slow to play up front, and he's too greedy to settle for 𧴜k per week.

A year ago, I would have loved a Rooney return to Everton but we've both outgrown each other now. He loves the big money and we have bigger ambitions than he does.

An aspiring club wants top class young players to achieve their ambitions.

We want speed, skill and agility.

I believe in the testimonial he played quite well in our colors. Under Koeman Rooney will become better than Zlatan when he reaches 35.

Rooney/Lukaku 1, 2 punch up front, in conjunction with Koeman correctly pointing out that, no goals scored against, guarantees 1 point. What's not to like, if it were to happen? This is fairy-tale stuff, he comes back better than ever.

In the last 6 or 7 years of his career, he becomes Everton's all-time leading scorer and helps lead us to 5 League champions titles and 3 European Champions titles, 4 FA cups and 3 League Cups. What a way to end a career.

It's what I'm thinking smoking this blunt from across the pond in the U S of A. Howdy there, partners.

That reminds me, must shove me Dad out into the garden, it looks a right flaming mess! Raining? Well he's not made of sugar, is he! If I hear about his darned arthritis one more time.

Hasn't slowed down Gareth Barry has it? Honestly, eighty five year olds.

However, he would be a mug to turn down £3M a month in China, there is only so much curry half-and-half even he could eat, but the greedy fat headed twat would give it a good go, I reckon.
So, Wazza, the sooner you fuck off on the slowest of slow boats to China, the better (for your bank balance, that is).

League placings in Moyes's final seasons:
2013: 6th
2012: 7th
2011: 7th

Current league position:
7th

Hmm...

We need to look forward now. Let's see if any of the other top 6 are in for him; I suspect not.

He has been a good player but, as many have said on here, he is declining rapidly and hasn't been a regular starter at Man Utd for a good while. We need every penny to try and keep Lukaku for a while longer if we are truly ambitious, rather than break the bank for the ageing granny chaser.

(Whenever the subject of Rooney comes up on TW, I learn nothing about the player, but a lot about some posters.)

It MIGHT improve peoples awareness of Everton, we MIGHT get some revenue from shirt sales etc., but not enough to cover his wages and Ross would probably play second fiddle or, worse, be sold off to finance Rooney's signing and wages. Are we building a team or bringing in players past their sell by date? Why not make an offer for Lampard?

In 12 months, Rooney would be a latter day Kevin Campbell, great in his first season (saving us from relegation, virtually single handed) and then a not so slow slide into the lumbering, plodding player he became as age caught up with him and the crowd got on his back. What a surprise...

Not for me, thanks.

Because he started playing first team so much earlier than his peers, then the natural wear and tear makes him more like 34 years old, plus, he's never struck me as a natural athlete, unlike, say Giggs. So in the next couple of seasons I think he will actually struggle in most Premier League teams due to the pace of the modern game. I don't think we'll ever see a Jan Molby figure standing in the centre circle spraying passes.

And to anyone who suggests that going to China makes him a money grabbing so-and-so. If someone offers crazy money to do a job that you can easily do, then wouldn't you be mad not to take it?

She was saying these things to wind me up, as I was filled with excitement for the first time in years... turns out she was almost spot on with both predictions!

He moved on from us many years ago now, and we've moved on from him.

No bad feelings towards him at all, but if he's not good enough for Man Utd then he's not good enough for us. Simple as that.

It's onwards and upwards for EFC now, not backwards.

I remember too well the media campaign to get Rooney to Man Utd. Even BBC Sport (years before it relocated to its spiritual home) joined the Murdoch propaganda machine in campaigning for the transfer. It was, you see, for the good of the English game. Rooney could only blossom in the Garden of Eden.

Moreover, the Caledonian Merlin was the only man who could harness and augment the magical powers of his raw apprentice.

I remember a Red Gerbil neighbour, a man in his 40s, taunting my son that his club had got our man. And the icing on the cake is that, in my opinion, Rooney never truly fulfilled his potential. The old wizard used Rooney like a stable boy, cleaning up the manure left by Madeira's answer to My Little Pony.

Our family sat in the Gwladys for Duncan's testimonial. If you spotted the only four people not giving Alderley Edge's finest a standing ovation as he ran onto the pitch, that was us.

My little son cried bitter tears all those years ago. Rooney and Stretford pissed themselves laughing, all the way to the bank.

However, it would be very interesting if he did come back (particularly on these pages).

I can just imagine BPB dreaming of a swap deal involving "bringing our Wayne home" (together with a load of dosh) and moving Rom and/or Ross in the opposite direction! Prior to Moshiri's involvement, that (in my view) would have been a real possibility!

Yeah, just like Schneiderlin.

Let's not forget he's playing under Mourinho, a manager who sold Lukaku, Mata, De Bruyne.

He would be a great addition to our squad and would be a great foil for Lukaku who would love playing alongside him.

You're probably talking around 10 goals and another 5 or 6 assists.

The fans aren't paying his wages, let's not worry about the cost of it. Barkley, Lookman, Mirallas and Lukaku need competition.

Not everyone aspires to be a multi millionaire, live like a celebrity etc. People are contributing to an article about Rooney and commenting about that; pretending to deduce more than that about posters is a little silly.

He is a talented sportsman whose career is coming to an end... err, that's it.

Anyway I've got to dash as my chauffeur is getting agitated as the Bentley has been revving up for 5 minutes now.

Rooney won more at Man Utd than he ever would at Everton. He also earnt more money there, than he ever would've at Everton. I don't believe he would have been better off in any sense in the last 14 years, had he stayed at Everton. That pains me to say it given we were once peer clubs.

However I can't forget the manner of the exit, the badge kissing, the goading. He laughed in our faces at Goodison.

From a footballing perspective, I don't think his wages and fees would be good value. We already have a local lad who's slightly overweight but supposedly serves that creative function behind Lukaku. I don't think we need another older, more expensive model (albeit more decorated). We're two years late to really get the benefit of Rooney.

Finally Everton FC need to stop being the comfortable pair of slippers before retirement for ex Man Utd players. If we ever truly want to be great again, let's stop signing their cast-offs. [Schneiderlin aside.]

Also I've seen that some are making the laughable comparison with Ibrahimovic, and that Rooney will be able to perform well into his 30s. I daresay he has never looked after himself to the same level as Zlatan! He'd have to cut his wages to 㿞k to make it even a 'maybe' in my mind.

Come Home, Wayne!!!

Really?

Well let's see shall we..

Let's have a look at a quote from...Phil Martin!

'However I can't forget the manner of the exit, the badge kissing, the goading. He laughed in our faces at Goodison.'

Can't forget the manner?

I'd reckon I'd be fairly accurate in saying this poster would be the type to hold a grudge.

And to be childishly one-eyed – ie: Rooney kissed his badge in response to him and his family being given dog's abuse by 39,000 people, but the poster ignores that completely.

And I think it's fair to suggest ('he laughed in our faces') this poster is an over-dramatic tart, simply looking to put the boot in and have a good oul vent again.

I'll further suggest that, even in the face of this clear evidence that (based on their posts), I DO know something about some posters, they would all refute this.

Now go on, refute away and tell me again how I know 'fucking zero' about some posters.

I think all subjects have been done to death, and everybody responds in the same way every time. The only thing that is different is the date at the top of the page.

As for Rooney, it's a No from me.

Link

"That lad would walk on broken glass for his Everton shirt."

He wasn't willing to walk on a slightly less luxurious shag pile to stay in an Everton shirt for a few season's more (or countenance a trophy cabinet containing nothing but cobwebs to continue to cross his gaze), but now suddenly he's prepared to go all John McClane to get one back? 

'Walk over broken glass'? 

Why, surely he should crawl? Then you could tell us he'll be spurting 'blue blood' from his shredded feet and hands next, like a fat Smurf struck by stigmata. 

I was made up when we got Andy King back only to realise that he was nowhere near the same dynamic player that he once was.

Terry Curran was unbelievable on loan then awful when he signed on.

Duncan wasn't great 2nd time around. Franny Jeffers was a shadow of his former self. HK II and III were never the same as HK I.

I am pleased that England's leading goalscorer is an Evertonian. I am also pleased that a scouser is the Man Utd all-time leading score and Evertonian to boot but I don't want him back here as he wont be the player he was.

Maybe Koeman will look at it rather differently though. The wages may not bother him one bit. All the manager may look at is another option on the pitch. Even if it's just for one season, Koeman may believe it to be a great signing.

Personally, I think his return could prove a huge distraction, with the likes of Davies being demoted to the subs' bench to make way for the prodigal son. If Man Utd are prepared to let him go so readily (there is talk of him even being paid to leave because of his massive wage) then surely that tells it's own story?

Unless he is in peak condition, Rooney can be very ordinary. He can no longer beat a man with pace, and his decline is sure to be rapid once he isn't training to 100%. I really think we could do better.

Your mother was way ahead of the curve there and clearly has a much better shot at a pension supplementing punditry gig than my own old queen who (possibly) said something along the lines of:

"Dirty bugger will probably end up parked outside the Bingo. Window down, Billy Ocean's 'Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car' blasting away, with the biggest bifta I've ever seen in my life hanging out of his gob and a beckoning hand that looks like it belongs on a fucking hobbit. Pretty sure he'll call me "preciousss" as I walk past and then say something to Rita about sticking his finger in an ancient ring as well."

God bless her cynical, bitter, old soul.

Says 'everyone' from the safety of knowing it'll absolutely never happen.

"I'll never get me hole off Shakira? Not arsed, wouldn't WANT me hole off her!"

'People are contributing to an article about Rooney and commenting about that, pretending to deduce more than that about posters is a little silly.'

People?

Think you mean some people are; other people (for the hundredth time) are simply using it to vent.

I presume Wayne still has some feeling towards the club and having lived his dream at Man Utd he wants to give something back to Everton.

So why doesn't he sign for us for 2 or 3 years at low wages with the knowledge that he will then get his massive move to China to retire there a rich man whilst making his favourite club a nice deposit for their new stadium? Everyone's a winner.

If one day he done his badges then I believe he'd be a good coach and has a wealth of experience and perhaps that would be the fit. Good luck to him in wherever he goes.

We must focus on this season and get focused for Sunderland. Moyes and Defoe will be out to make a point, so we can't get complacent.

Ah, that's something else I know about some posters.

When they focus on style rather than content, that's often the white flag.

Guessing if you'd lived in 1650 and some monk wrote a letter giving you down the banks for knowing fuck-all about the signing of the Treaty of Breda by Charles ll, your response would have been...

"Why doth thou alwayff begine each new payge withe a maffive big letter?"

The agent will see to that.

Everton needs a Wayne Rooney more than Wayne Rooney needs Everton. As for the clubs ambitions? frankly most of us are reading what we like into that and hoping for the best but a Wayne Rooney could well propel those ambitions of the club.

Glad I didn't, as I would have missed the garden quote and the interesting post numbered 64... that's one worth thinking about.

Keep 'em coming lads!

The idea that his mere presence in the dressing room would provide season-changing inspiration is also somewhat wishful-thinking given that the same alleged inspiration has done sweet FA for the young England players in every tournament it copped a mention. Same goes for Old Creasehead for that matter but the less said about him the better.

In the same way we debate endlessly about the value of an absolute trooper like Gareth Barry occupying the same midfielder-shaped hole as a young thruster like Davies, I can't see the merit in playing a mutton-dressed-as-offal Rooney ahead of Lookman or indeed any other potential prospect, signed or otherwise.

Leaving the money discussion to one side, Rooney could still do a job for Everton and he would arguably get a starting position in the team for the remainder of the season. He'd also add a level of drive and experience which has been severely lacking in the team.

My concern is what happens next season? Rooney's legs have gone. He's lost any element of pace he used to have. He also sits between the #10 and the Striker. That means covering the same ground as Lukaku and, arguably, Barkley. So Rooney returns and he's quickly becoming an injury risk, which is normal for someone playing as long as he has. Barkley and other midfielders become disillusioned by Rooney's return and their lack of playing time. It also slows their development. Do you anticipate our midfielders being happy to stick around to get playing time or will they look elsewhere?

Rooney returning will disrupt the team in a negative way and, for that reason alone, I don't want him to return.

Also, he is on the way down I want players who are on the way up. This isn't a retirement home. We don't need him slowing the play down.

Not an Evertonian, I am a Evertonian and I wouldn't walk in front of the disabled row in the paddock kissing a Manchester United badge.

Your second point is fair – maybe SOME people are using this to vent their ire about Rooney – but, given the title and and the article posted by Lyndon, I would've logically expected this to be the case wouldn't you?

I wouldn't claim to know anything significant about any of the posters based on their responses to this thread. It's not like anybody has posted a treatise on the sociology of celebrity culture, have they?

Not everyone is envious of the rich and famous. I can think of nothing worse than having my private life publicised and being hounded by the press etc. I don't think being mega-rich makes those individuals any happier than an average Joe or Joanne who earns enough to support their family and live healthy purposeful lives. Poverty is no virtue but neither is paying someone £300k a week for playing football.

The gardening quote #40 was actually from a garden centre. I wish I could take credit, but I can't. In fact, I wish my repartee was as good as the stuff on this thread. I had a recent discussion with some mates about who we thought was the greatest master of quick repartee, and we considered George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, Lee Mack, Oscar Wilde, et al. Honours went to Oscar Wilde, because of the following brilliant example:

He was the star of dinner parties in the 'Bloomsbury set' in London, with his rapier-like wit. His main competitor was Lord Shaftesbury, another brilliant wit. However, whenever both were at the same dinner party, Wilde always managed to surpass Lord Shaftesbury, generally out-witting him. This culminated in Lord Shaftesbury becoming very frustrated at one such party, every great witticism of his being surpassed by Wilde.

Suddenly, after another fine maxim from Wilde, Lord Shaftesbury turned to Wilde, and said, "Mr Wilde, do you spend ALL your time making meaningless retorts"? Well, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. But quick as a flash, with no hesitation, Oscar Wilde turned to Lord Shaftesbury, and said, "My dear Lord Shaftesbury, why don't you just fuck off"?

Quick repartee!

He would give us much-needed attacking options. Alternative to Lukaku, striking partner, No 10, wide attacker, midfielder... He can play them all.

He's a leader. Look at the difference a little bit of nark can have. The kids have recently shown a winning mentality that has been sorely lacking, getting in the face of refs etc. To have Rooney, the man, fighting their corner too would galvanise us as a team.

He's better than what we have. In most of the attacking positions, I believe he's better than all bar Lukaku.

Globally, he puts us back on the football map. He's not a Man Utd cast-off. He's just become too expensive for them at 𧷤k a week. For 𧴜k, they'd bite your hand off. As would every top team in Europe, I'd imagine. He's only likely to go to Everton for that money though!

Do it!

It has been reported that Man Utd would be willing to pay off the remainder of his contract in the summer. Two years at 𧶲,000 a week basic, that they would be under no obligation to pay if he accepted an offer elsewhere, yet they want rid simply because they can no longer afford him? 

It's purely a footballing decision, not monetary. He no longer offers enough to be a guaranteed, or even a regular, starter in their side. He's now no more than a bit-part player. He, for his part, wants to play as often as possible; a natural urge even in his heyday and one not easy to quell when the career hangman is quickening on your heels.

Problem for him and any prospective suitor's going forward is how he will hold up physically, even in the immediate future.

Recently, Rio Ferdinand claimed that Rooney's exertions over the past 15 years have left him with the body of a 40-year-old. If a long-time teammate and 'pal' (who has actually seen him in the buff and blowing for chunks after games in the changing room) is offering such an opinion then it doesn't suggest much hope of him simply being 're-energised' by a fresh start or magically turning back the clock after being put through rigorous paces by Ronald Koeman, no matter how R Lee Ermey he might get on his arse.

"He's better than what we have. In most of the attacking positions I believe he's better than all bar Lukaku."

Rooney is in no way better than Barkley or Davies, or even Lookman for that matter.

Also, it's a case of "can we sign better elsewhere?"... the answer to that is a resounding YES!!

The sums don't add up.

Made my day!

Sums up my thoughts perfectly. Hopefully sentiment won't come in to it one little bit.

It's purely a business decision – and if Walsh can't unearth someone better for that kind of money (and for the future) then he may as well pack in now.

Personally I'm a fan of nostalgia and like the idea of him coming back for one season on drastically reduced wages (whatever Gareth Barry is getting let's say), passing on a few tips here and there, raising our profile and maybe coming on in the 85th minute to score the winner at Anfield!

Then he can go off to USA or China to earn some final big wedge. If he's really such a Bluenose as he claims, perhaps that sort of deal might appeal to him as well.

The young lady replied that it would depend on how handsome he was. Shaw then asked; "Well, would you sleep with a man for 10 shillings?"

She replied;"Mr Shaw, what do you think I am?"

Shaw replied; "We've settled that question, my dear – we're just haggling over the price now."

Totally irrelevant to the subject at hand I suppose.

He would not cost us 𧷤k a week as we would never offer what he's not nearly worth (for this league).

If he wants to come to us, then it's purely so he can carry on making money without uprooting his family. Not to give something back to Everton, but to get a bit more in the bank.

I have no ill-feeling towards Rooney, but would not want him back just because he's 'one of ours'. I would have him back if he was still 100% fit, still 100% focused, and still scoring on a regular basis. But sadly he isn't any of them things.

If the club bring him back, then it's an absolute joke. Makes a mockery of all the talk of a new era under Moshiri. If he's not good enough for Man Utd, then he's not good enough for us.

I think, given the chance, most of us would opt for greener pastures for a big payout, if we weren't already multi millionaires and struggling to pay the bills – like the millions of Chinese peasants who have to do just that.

His ability as a player... his monetary value to the club... as well as the undermining of the Club's apparent new found ambition.

However, you chose to focus on the other point I made re the emotive side of the issue. You did this so you could blind us with another glimpse of your literary girth. Which probably says more about you than anyone else.

We didn't appoint Walsh to sign overpaid has-beens.

For me, he would be a nostalgia buy whereas someone like Oxlade-Chamberlin would be a real statement about the future.

I disagree with the anti-Rooney comments on why he left. Kenwright sold him to keep the club afloat; he hadn't a clue how to run the club. Didn't he start the auction by telling the media that Newcastle had offered 㿅m for Wayne Rooney?? Did he try to keep Wayne??? No!!!

"Ah, that's something else I know about some posters."

How do you KNOW? Are you familiar and on close personal terms with posters or are you merely forming an opinion?

For a pedant who insists on facts from fellow posters, I would love to see you back up that claim. You may be making a remote assessment or drawing conclusions. But you claim you know!!!!!

[Lots of exclamation marks as well – over to you, TW's resident grammar expert!]

According to a website I like called QuoteInvestigator, if the quip isn't apocryphal, it likely should be credited to tycoon Max Aitkin, aka Lord Beaverbrook.

http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/03/07/haggling/

Also totally irrelevant

Let him go to China and good luck to him. He is a Man Utd legend. Stay there or fuck off. Why should we care. He's past it and doesn't care about us. Why should he, he's a red and not a blue.

Some on here give rise to the term 'Bitter Blue'... reading the posts, it's disrespectful and incredible to read some of the vitriol and abuse for an England Captain (still) and a career that has been one of the very best in English football. Get over it guys, he is a blue and always will be.

Everton sold him, they needed the money after our illustrious chairman had sold the last lawnmower, there was nothing left to hock and after Man Utd turned his head it worked for both. He would never have achieved the success he did at Everton. He would never have earned the acclaim he has at Everton, he would never have been the player he was if he had stayed at Everton. Christ knows it pains me to say that but I think most of us would agree.

Sentiment is one thing, business is another but lets say he came on a free at nominal wages and a desire to use his experience even not on a weekly basis, I think he would jump at the chance to work with Koeman and it would give his career and OUR club a massive lift even if it was only for a couple of seasons.

I would gladly take him and let him enjoy his football and get Koeman to get the best out of his last years. If he doesn't come back to Goodison I think he will just retire.. and that would still be a waste.

China... come on guys he is from Croxteth, he might fancy the odd Chinese takeaway but a plate of scouse any day. Its not going to happen no matter how much they will pay.

I suspect that his powers are on the wane (no pun intended) and it would only give short-term success. I am happy with the way the team is developing but to rule him out because of spite is illogical.

He is a Man Utd player and he is over the hill, just. We need fresh blood and we need better players to come to Everton, not someone who is past his best days.

There would have been sense to the idea 3 or 4 years ago but that ship has sailed. He can come and support us but we don't need him playing for us, not even on a free.

What the feck does this guy do with his time for ٤Mil a year?

Things might be a bit different now that Jesus is crocked but he seemed pretty pissed off with being on the bench prior to that and if we really are serious about challenging for Champions League and Titles with Moshiri's apparent millions, surely this would put a marker down and show our intentions?

Might even persuade the likes of Rom to hang around and the thought of a Lukaku - Aguero partnership up front would put the fear of God into most teams... it would certainly excite me!

Have the globalists tweaked a dial?

Heart? – yes.

Would I turn up to see him? – you betcha.

Please don't tell me 'Our Wayne' is inferior to the pathetic 'support strikers' we have seen in our team this season!

Hell, is that the time already? I was right!

This constant 'Rooney to return' stuff which pops up all too often is fucking boring.

Are you lot telling me Zlatan, at age 35, would not be good enough as well?!? Fuck, the reason Rooney is not playing is because the manager don't like him; Rooney is as good as Zlatan.

Heart? Nah. He fucked off and abandoned "his" club. And the "wouldn't you?" argument is fair enough but, when I did, I'd be a disloyal self-serving twat too.

All the stuff about playing ambition, craving for silverware and the rest, doesn't wash with me. At 19, Rooney could have given the club 3-4 years. Who knows what difference he would have made in the Champions League campaign so soon after he went?

He could have given us some payback as 'his' club, and still toddled off to Manchester at the age of 23, and gone on to achieve all of his personal ambitions. And we would have got more money.

His snake of an agent, appropriately called Stretford, played a big part in forcing the move through. At that point, Rooney made his bed. If he loves Everton, he can buy a ticket for the stands like the rest of us. I don't want him back in any capacity as a player, coach or ambassador. Ian Snodin, Graeme Sharp, Graham Stuart, none of them Scousers, are better Evertonians in my mind than Rooney will ever be. His club is Manchester United.

He's faded badly over the last 3 years IMO. In the last 2½ seasons he's scored 12, 8 and 2 league goals in that order.

If we we're in a hurry to give someone 𧵎k+ a week, give it Lukaku. He does score goals, and has his best days ahead of him. Save the 㿀m plus transfer fee to splash on someone who will last a little bit longer than Rooney.

Greatest English player of his generation and still better than most – if not all – of our team... As for the cost, who cares? Not our concern.

I don't know how much of this article is true; however, it lends credence to the idea that Rooney had to be sold to relieve the cash flow problems that EFC were facing at that point in time.

http://www.dswcf.com/rooney-money-brings-club-back-from-brink/

'After all' is two words.

James # 158 - 'How do you KNOW? Are you familiar and on close personal terms with posters or are you merely forming an opinion? For a pedant who insists on facts from fellow posters, I would love to see you back up that claim. You may be making a remote assessment or drawing conclusions. But you claim you know!!!!!'

All eruditely explained in #113, I'm not explaining things twice for those who can't keep up.

By the way, here's another thing I know about certain posters.

99.3% of those on TW who resort to 'pedant' do so out of frustration and anger rather than accuracy.

Actually, I'll let you into a secret: I often imagine the 99.3% as a small boy, sitting in a 1930s rural American school classroom, having just been chastised by the teacher for putting a 'period' in the middle of a sentence.

As the boy seethes, his little face burning red with anger and embarrassment, he thinks to himself, "Aah cain't wait til I'm all growed up and can jess say 'pedant' when aah fuck shit up and someone tries to make me look dumb... er."

(I then imagine him drooling chewing tobacco all down his front...)

Made his bed and laid in it very well, thank you. Would be a global story if he came back that would soon fade quickly and we would be left with the unenviable task of managing decline and engineering an exit strategy.

I would rather remember the stunning 16-year-old than the huffing and puffing 36-year-old. It's a 'No' from me.

That player that was fearless, aggressive and lethal when in sight of goal? He's gone.

"If Koeman heads to Barcelona, should Kenwright bring back Moyes as manager and if he does, should Moyes bring back Rooney..and Nick Barmby as first team coach?"

Rooney is no Zlatan ffs. Zlatan peaked aged 30-32, and is a freakishly good athlete.

Rooney peaked about 24-27, and has been on a steady decline since.

Enough with this comparison already.

Make no mistake, he still has a great footballing brain and has some years left but not with Mourinho. Who knows what would have happened if Everton had been in a better position all those years ago and under a different manager???

He would have passion and fire which in recent years has been lacking. He has so much experience that the younger players (and some of the mid-20s players) would benefit from.

There is no doubt in my mind that he is still a quality player. Some lost pace but still a great football mind. Inject him into the Everton project, a club he obviously loves, and I think it could be a great fit. Bring him back to the club and get him involved in the coaching side.

Commercially, it would benefit us. He is not in the Ronaldo stratosphere but he does have a global presence so would help to sell more merchandise and help the profile of the club.

Now coming back to the financials. Do not break the wage structure for him. Do not offer him a massively long deal (2 years max). If the fee is reasonable, his demands are reasonable, then why not?

My feeling is the financials will be inhibitive. I think the Man Utd transfer fee will be silly and I am not sure Rooney will go to 25%-35% of his current salary, when he can double it in China!

It will come down to numbers, but if Rooney wants to play at a high level and wants to continue mending broken bridges, he will want to return and will take a pay cut. I'd anticipate Man Utd would want some big fee, but realistically they'll only get that from China. I can't see any other European club being prepared to pay a big fee and even half of his current wages. Again, it will come down to the desire of the player.

If he signs for a couple of seasons, I'll be very happy. But I won't lose any sleep if he doesn't.

The other factor is the 12th man, how excited the crowd gets around him. How much emotion he stirs up. I think if he could help unite us, help develop younger players, help lift the crowd then yes. The main problem with that is if he is really crap then it will have the opposite effect.

On balance, sign him for a fee and pay him loads? No. He comes for next to nothing and has low wages; I think he could help build the atmosphere.

The stars seem to be aligning as it looks like Jagielka will leave in the summer and (should Rooney return) he would no doubt return as captain. We have been linked to a few strikers in the past two windows, yet we haven't signed anyone that could replace Lukaku. Rooney would actually be better in the creative #10 position, a bit like a Scholes role, but would also be able to play as an out and out striker if needed. We have the funds to pay him a large salary – not sure EFC will pay 𧷤k a week though.

The final things is Rooney is a huge fan of EFC! I'm sure (if it's possible) he wants to play for his boyhood team whilst he's still got the ability and fitness to play competitively in the EPL. After which I'm sure he would look at the USA, Qatar, Australia or maybe China to finish off his career and top-up his retirement fund.

One thing for sure, he's still a quality player and EFC would be mad to pass on the chance to re-sign him.

"Guessing if you'd lived in 1650 and some monk wrote a letter giving you down the banks for knowing fuck-all about the signing of the Treaty of Breda by Charles ll..."

It would be entirely understandable to know fuck all (two words by the way, not one hyphenated word) about a treaty that was not written until seventeen years later.

Unfortunately (for you) there were TWO treaties of Breda - Link

And the first was signed in (roll on the drums) 1650...like I said.

As for my use of a hyphen on fuck-all, perfectly legitimate* (the rules might be more open to interpretation than where a full-stop goes, but entirely acceptable).

Still well done, 0 out of 2 isn't bad.

* Hyphens' main purpose is to glue words together. They notify the reader that two or more elements in a sentence are linked. Although there are rules and customs governing hyphens, there are also situations when writers must decide whether to add them for clarity. From Link

(I think you only posted to try to get that 200th post - imagine you're gutted)

Jesus, hope to Christ the computer that was typed on is chained to a desk in Rampton (and the desk is screwed to the deck).

Although the chances of Rooney turning his nose up at char siu chow mein n Mongolian lamb are, err... rather slim – he'd have the Scouse for starters, Christine.

I still get annoyed at the way Rooney ran down the Old Trafford pitch to taunt the Evertonians after Ronaldo's last-minute penalty, but would pass the minute he netted for us.

Rooney would be behind Kone and Valencia, would he? I'm going to send that one to Doddy – I've heard he pays handsomely for good jokes... as much as 10 shillings, I believe.

Doddy is the Daddy of brass hinges, he wouldn't give you a spot if he was a Dalmatian.

John Terry breaks into spontaneous applause.

Rooney's role as England captain and the feats he accomplished for another club hold little sway with me. All I'm concerned with is what he once did for Everton (not a lot, beyond increasing media coverage for a short while and fetching a sizeable transfer fee) and what he could yet do for Everton (not a lot, beyond increasing media coverage for a short while and stretching the wage budget to breaking point).

And the first was signed in (roll on the drums) 1650"

Understandably so as well. There's absolutely no way on Earth that Charles could have held off signing for a further 17 years... 17 fucking minutes in the presence of the 'Kirk Party' would have been plenty enough to crush the resolve of even the most iron-willed:

Link

Kirk: "Sign.... it. Paying partic... ular attention to the part... about a prison planet... for... papists."

Charles II: "Naw. Naw."

Kirk: "Sign... it now or... else I'll spin you another dragged... out tale about the time... I... almost dabbled in some... alien arse."

Charles II: "CANNAE. AH CANNAE!"

Kirk: "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!"

But you're all just pedants.

:)

Well that's not something I want to hear; the idea of getting on your nerves or indeed on anyone's nerves makes me almost physically sick.

A shame..

As for Stretford's spudface, stuff 'im. Well done to him, yes, but ta-ra.

Fantastic stuff.

Like a few posts have said, he had his chance to become a legend with us, the club he adored but he and Stretford sold his sole to the devil and he does not deserve a second chance.

Fortunately we are now in a far stronger position not to be desperate for this has-been; we don't need him and hopefully are setting our targets higher.

Sod off to China, you are not welcome at our beloved club.

I hope he's pleased he's achieved success with that shower but hopefully with a touch of regret that it wasn't with us, surely it can't mean the same to him?

Sorry, Wayne, you were blessed with a gift, but you turned your back on your own, kissing the Man Utd badge in your own backyard.

I personally look at you in the same category of ex-players such as Jeffers, Rodwell, Stones, Lescott, Keown, Lineker and Neville etc – non-achievers

I, and hopefully many other Blues, don't wish to see you back.

For me Rooney is just a part of our history – a brief interlude that I enjoyed while it lasted. I personally hope he isn't brought back as my view is that it would be a backward step.

The only "days of yore" I long for are the seasons when we were top of the pile.

It seems I now have several favourite stories. At least we know that it wasn't told by a much derided former manager about a young footballer near a libertine grannie.

Selling the best player of his generation as a teenager for a pittance due to Kenwrights lies and mismanagement and buying him back as an overweight wig-wearing has-been is laughable and sums up the train wreck Kenwright has made of Everton FC perfectly.

If I was the best player in the world, I'd have played for Everton FOR NOTHING. That's the difference between a true Evertonian and the fake that is Rooney.

We should have built a team around him and used him to attract top talent. I don't buy that 'no medals' rubbish, Rooney was a phenomenon and Kenwright frittered it away and for what? To cover up his lies and incompetence, that's what.

Anyone who wants him back is an idiot. He's shit all over us for one of our hated rivals. I wouldn't even let him in the ground or his arl feller for letting it happen. Mine wouldn't have let it happen but he wouldn't have to because it wouldn't have anyway.

Lineker won 1 FA Cup, English Golden boot for Leicester, Everton and Spurs. 1986 top scorer in World Cup. Won Spanish Title and Cup...

Lescott won 2 league Titles, 1 FA Cup and a League Cup...

Neville won 6 titles and 3 FA Cups...

What to you is achievement?

Lennon
Barry
Kone
McCarthy
Deulofeu
Valencia
Niasse
Cleverley
Besic
Tarashaj

Some will say Yes to all of the above.

Commercially worth a punt and bringing the youngsters on.

However as Robert De Niro said to Al Pacino over a cup of coffee in the movie Heat - "there is a flip side to that coin" which is:

Would you play him before any of the following?

Lukaku
Barkley
Gueye
Schneiderlin
Lookman
Bolasie (when fit)
Davies
Mirallas

He wouldn't come back to sit on the bench. He can do that at United and get paid handsomely for it.

We have to look to the future.

Koeman: "What will happen at the end of the season? I don't know but in my opinion he is one of the players who can make Everton more stronger."

Walsh: "Wayne Rooney is one of the greatest players that has ever played the game in England and for us not to be interested would be wrong.

"He started his career here and if the opportunity arose that he could come back and it sat well with everyone it is something we would consider. I think the whole thing would be euphoric. I think we could sell a lot of shirts, that's for sure."

Personally, I remain opposed, but when the men in position of power and influence say 'yes', is this the start of a 'softly-softly' propaganda campaign to welcome the prodigal son back next season...?

Christ don't say that - imagine the effect on Paul 'sheer hatred' Burns and John 'rubbish, total rubbish' Ronnie Link

As ever it's all about opinions but my view is he would do little to improve us from a football perspective.

In answer to your question, the only one I might put Rooney in front of would be Mirallas; otherwise... 'No'.

As you rightly say, he can earn more on the bench at Man Utd.

We shall see.

Take a point at Spurs on Sunday... COYB