ALEX FERGUSON has side-stepped a chance to kill off rumours of a rift with England striker Wayne Rooney.
And that has fuelled worries there IS a problem between the Manchester United boss and his troubled star.
Rooney openly confronted Fergie this week over his apparent ankle injury and claimed the boss was wrong to say he had a problem - and that he had always been fit to play.
But the United boss would only talk to the club's own TV station yesterday who, incredibly, asked only one question on the subject.
Asked by an MUTV 'reporter' whether it was all just the media blowing things out of proportion, Ferguson replied: "The lad's got a high profile and the Press are always going to seek him out for an interview or a quote.
"But it's water off a duck's back really. You've got to put that aside to know the real things that are happening at the club. It just passes off."
So no question about whether he has an ankle injury, nothing about Rooney contradicting Fergie and no enquiry as to whether he will play against West Brom this afternoon.
As it is, Fergie appears to have left Rooney sweating on whether he will get the nod and is set to name his team at lunchtime.
He dropped Rooney from his side for the trip to Everton this season to protect him from fans' abuse following revelations about the player's dalliance with a prostitute.
He has also left him out of the last two games, claiming the player had an ankle injury.
But after England's 0-0 draw with Montenegro on Tuesday, Rooney was adamant this was not the case.
There are growing fears at United that Rooney could be heading for the exit door with a new contract unsigned on the table and Real Madrid hovering.
The player himself is struggling on and off the pitch, having failed to score from open play for United since last March.
But his old Everton boss David Moyes is backing him to return in style. Moyes said: "I know his type. What he will do is bounce back and he'll bounce back with a vengeance.
"He's got that built-in desire and commitment that all top players have and I'm sure it won't be long before Wayne's back on song.
"Wayne's a top player working under arguably the best manager we've known, certainly in my time.
"Wayne would be the first to admit he's not playing as well as he has done, everybody will say it's for other reasons. But knowing Wayne, he'll be saying, 'No, it's not for other reasons'.
"He'll be saying it's my football. And if my football's not good enough, then judge me on that."
Meanwhile, Fergie has hit out at reknowned Colorado-based knee surgeon Dr Richard Steadman for claiming Owen Hargreaves was fit to play against West Brom.
Fergie said: "Owen's not ready. He's got a calf injury. I pick the team and have been doing for a while.
"We're having some difficulties with the doctor in Colorado. It's not fair to the player, fans and to ourselves to say the player is going to be playing. It's ridiculous."
No comments:
Post a Comment