Is Rooney’s temper becoming a major issue for the England Striker?

Ever since first appearing in the premier league at the tender age of just 16, it was obvious to everyone of the talent that lied in Wayne Rooney.  But, along with the talent was a high tempered player that was easily angered and frustrated.  At 16, immaturity to premier league football is understandable, and Rooney’s temperament was seen as a positive attribute if it was channelled in the right way.

 Nine years later, and it is hard to see how the England striker has managed to control his frustration whilst on the pitch. Saturday’s incident with Wigan midfielder James McCarthy saw Rooney appear to catch McCarthy with a flailing elbow as he set off for a counter attack.

 Despite referee Mark Clattenburg only giving a free-kick for the offense, it remains to be seen whether the FA will take further action towards the striker, who could potentially miss vital upcoming games for Manchester United. 

It was clear that boss Sir Alex Ferguson was eager to dismiss the incident as anything major, and shrewdly used his Post-match interview to play mind games with the FA about the influences of the media on the FA’s actions.

Opposing manager Roberto Martinez was less lenient with the England striker, as he felt the player should have been sent off.

Rooney is no stranger to this type of incident and has constantly been involved in many scenarios similar to this one throughout his career (most famously getting sent off in England’s world cup 2006 Quarter Final against Portugal for stamping).   

Despite scoring in the victory over the Latics on Saturday, Rooney was overshadowed by fellow striker Javier Hernandez who bagged a brace with two smart finishes in both halves. And despite scoring the match winner against rivals Manchester City two weeks ago, Hernandez and Berbatov have both out played and outscored the England man this season.

The centre of attention is where Rooney aspires to be, and his dramatic U-turn when it looked likely he was going to leave United earlier on in the season certainly affirmed this thought. Even though  a 5-year contract may seem to have confirmed his future at the club, the possibility of Rooney leaving in the summer remains open.

Jamie Hopkins

Twitter: Hoppo112