stesachaaxl
Player Valuation: £950k
Sorry if posted already, just watched this Documentary really shows the real rooney and his career. Feels somewhat appropriate to watch it now.
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toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
Debaser
Requested ban
Woke up this morning (about three hours ago as I live in Alaska) and this was confirmed - UTTERLY made up with this TBF
Yup, he's 31, he walked out on us (really - he was an ambitious kid), he's a heck of a lot slower than he used to be - but the experience, ability and enthusiasm are all still there in abundance - the people that will benefit the most with Rooney in the squad - Davies, Kev, Klassen, Lookman, Barkley, Schneiderlin and Sandro. Add that to the possibility of Sigurdsson and Giroud being onboard - mouthwatering depth we have been crying out for, for 20+ years.
Look at the excitement it has generated already. This so far has been a MAGNIFICENT summer - with more to come.
Oh, and a BIG shiny new stadium, with the absolute BEST fan base in the world! Lukaku who? You Blurt.
Yup, he's 31, he walked out on us (really - he was an ambitious kid), he's a heck of a lot slower than he used to be - but the experience, ability and enthusiasm are all still there in abundance - the people that will benefit the most with Rooney in the squad - Davies, Kev, Klassen, Lookman, Barkley, Schneiderlin and Sandro. Add that to the possibility of Sigurdsson and Giroud being onboard - mouthwatering depth we have been crying out for, for 20+ years.
Look at the excitement it has generated already. This so far has been a MAGNIFICENT summer - with more to come.
Oh, and a BIG shiny new stadium, with the absolute BEST fan base in the world! Lukaku who? You Blurt.
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
in my opinion yes, we still need a 20 goal a season striker. Goals will be shared, but we still need a focal point who will be relied to get us a goal every 2 games.
God, he was good.
The best player there has been at that age since Besty, imo.
I know that's a huge statement, but he was 16-18 in those clips. Unbelievable talent.
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
remember seeing his debut v spurs and i was like "who's that guy playing in a front 3 dad?". Not quite the media coverage there is now, so you didn't really know much about youth unless you were local. I know a fair few fans greeted with loud cheers at his name being read out so it had me curious. I never tire of that arsenal goals, the greatest thing by a teenager in football.
CrustySack
Player Valuation: £0.99p
To my surprise, this has completely overshadowed Lukakus record move to Manu. Nobody is interested in Lukaku, only the Rooney story.
It's easy to forget that Wayne still is a global sporting superstar. We just see him as one of us.
I get the feeling that him returning to his home is what the world wanted. They want him to go out in a blaze of glory with his boyhood team. They want one last hurrah.
I think in years to come, we will look back at this as a pivotal moment for Everton and Wayne.
It's easy to forget that Wayne still is a global sporting superstar. We just see him as one of us.
I get the feeling that him returning to his home is what the world wanted. They want him to go out in a blaze of glory with his boyhood team. They want one last hurrah.
I think in years to come, we will look back at this as a pivotal moment for Everton and Wayne.
BornBlue76
Player Valuation: £35m
Unreal array of goals... what stood out was that first touch... at that age the kid had the touch and control of an absolute prodigy.
orly
Please check with me for Blammo criteria
Hmmm, possibly not haha (I was too young to remember when Fat Ronny burst onto the scene, and unlike Best (one of my Dad's favourites) I haven't seen to many clips etc.
Best British player, then. Including Gazza.
But he's definitely up there. He was definitely the most exciting player at the 2004 Euros as well.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...ey-Farhad-Moshiri-Ronald-Koeman-Romelu-Lukaku
And it is a sign of Koeman’s optimism that the Dutch manager believes that plan will succeed even after being forced to part with his prolific goalscorer Romelu Lukaku.
This has been a frantic week during a busy summer in Merseyside’s blue corner, with Rooney’s advisers tidying up the details of an emotional return from Manchester United, while Lukaku, last season’s leading scorer, simultaneously finalised his move in the opposite direction.
Across the years, Everton fans have been used to seeing their most-wanted players leave. For Lukaku, read John Stones and Joleon Lescott to Manchester City, Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United, Mikel Arteta to Arsenal.
Go back further, to 2004, and there was the acrimonious departure of Rooney himself for Old Trafford. David Moyes was eventually tempted down the M62 as well.
Yet even though Lukaku is following the path out of Goodison Park trodden by so many others, this time it feels different. Everton, so used to shopping for bargains, have become steadily more ambitious in the transfer market.
Few fans have forgotten the nadir of summer 2011, when Everton sold Arteta for £10m and spent nothing as Kenwright bemoaned the club’s inability to borrow from the banks to fund signings. However, those troubles now feel a part of the past.
Everton have become more powerful financially since Kenwright brought Iranian business Farhad Moshiri into the club as their major shareholder in February 2016.
In his first full season, Moshiri approved more than £68m worth of signings. While a significant chunk of that outlay was recouped by selling Stones to City for £47m, it was a signal that the club were prepared to adopt a more aggressive strategy in the transfer market.
Even so, their outlay this summer has come as a surprise to Everton die-hards.
Although Swansea playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson and additional striker cover for Lukaku remain targets, they have managed to get most of their business done early – so early, that former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler was moved to comment: “They have stolen a march on the rest of the Premier League clubs and even made them look a bit stupid.”
The arrivals of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from Sunderland and centre-back Michael Keane from Burnley, both in deals that could be worth up to £30m, showed a willingness to invest heavily in the best young English talent.
In addition, European potential has been brought in; playmaker Davy Klaassen captained Ajax to last season’s Europa League final – while Malaga striker Sandro Ramirez scored more goals in La Liga last season than Neymar.
Henry Onyekuru, a young Nigerian winger bought from Belgian club Eupen, has been loaned out to Anderlecht for the season but is promising enough that Everton had to defeat competition from West Ham to sign him.
In total, about £100m has been spent so far and, although much of that will be recouped from Lukaku’s sale, the squad as a whole looks stronger.
With new arrivals will come departures. Pickford is set to be first-choice goalkeeper, meaning that one of Joel Robles and Maarten Stekelenburg will have to go.
Keane’s arrival casts doubts over club captain Phil Jagielka’s long-term future, with Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori also battling for central defensive places. Veteran midfielder Gareth Barry may prove expendable also.
Koeman has much potential to work with and it is here that Rooney’s return may prove most significant.
As a veteran of Champions League finals and World Cups, Rooney is in a position to teach the club’s young players how to handle the biggest matches.
In addition to Pickford and Keane, Everton have a number of young players on their books; full-back Mason Holgate and midfielder Tom Davies impressed when given chances last season, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the goal that won England the Under-20 World Cup last month, and Kieran Dowell, Conor Grant and Ademola Lookman are also on the fringes.
Koeman’s ability to integrate the youngsters will be tested and Rooney could well find himself mentoring these players as he settles back in.
Ross Barkley would no doubt benefit from Rooney’s advice too, but his future still looks as if it lies elsewhere, with his contract expiring in 12 months and no agreement in place to extend it. Barkley is arguably where Rooney was 13 years ago, a boyhood Everton fan now certain that the only way to better himself is to leave.
That is a sign that Everton still have work to do to shake off their tag of Premier League also-rans. Under Moshiri, however, the club are doing their best.
Last season, Everton were the best of the rest in England, finishing seventh in the top flight. The fans are hopeful that they might just crack the top six this time around. Manage that, and Rooney’s return really will have been worth it.
And it is a sign of Koeman’s optimism that the Dutch manager believes that plan will succeed even after being forced to part with his prolific goalscorer Romelu Lukaku.
This has been a frantic week during a busy summer in Merseyside’s blue corner, with Rooney’s advisers tidying up the details of an emotional return from Manchester United, while Lukaku, last season’s leading scorer, simultaneously finalised his move in the opposite direction.
Across the years, Everton fans have been used to seeing their most-wanted players leave. For Lukaku, read John Stones and Joleon Lescott to Manchester City, Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United, Mikel Arteta to Arsenal.
Go back further, to 2004, and there was the acrimonious departure of Rooney himself for Old Trafford. David Moyes was eventually tempted down the M62 as well.
Yet even though Lukaku is following the path out of Goodison Park trodden by so many others, this time it feels different. Everton, so used to shopping for bargains, have become steadily more ambitious in the transfer market.
Few fans have forgotten the nadir of summer 2011, when Everton sold Arteta for £10m and spent nothing as Kenwright bemoaned the club’s inability to borrow from the banks to fund signings. However, those troubles now feel a part of the past.
Everton have become more powerful financially since Kenwright brought Iranian business Farhad Moshiri into the club as their major shareholder in February 2016.
In his first full season, Moshiri approved more than £68m worth of signings. While a significant chunk of that outlay was recouped by selling Stones to City for £47m, it was a signal that the club were prepared to adopt a more aggressive strategy in the transfer market.
Even so, their outlay this summer has come as a surprise to Everton die-hards.
Although Swansea playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson and additional striker cover for Lukaku remain targets, they have managed to get most of their business done early – so early, that former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler was moved to comment: “They have stolen a march on the rest of the Premier League clubs and even made them look a bit stupid.”
The arrivals of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from Sunderland and centre-back Michael Keane from Burnley, both in deals that could be worth up to £30m, showed a willingness to invest heavily in the best young English talent.
In addition, European potential has been brought in; playmaker Davy Klaassen captained Ajax to last season’s Europa League final – while Malaga striker Sandro Ramirez scored more goals in La Liga last season than Neymar.
Henry Onyekuru, a young Nigerian winger bought from Belgian club Eupen, has been loaned out to Anderlecht for the season but is promising enough that Everton had to defeat competition from West Ham to sign him.
In total, about £100m has been spent so far and, although much of that will be recouped from Lukaku’s sale, the squad as a whole looks stronger.
With new arrivals will come departures. Pickford is set to be first-choice goalkeeper, meaning that one of Joel Robles and Maarten Stekelenburg will have to go.
Keane’s arrival casts doubts over club captain Phil Jagielka’s long-term future, with Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori also battling for central defensive places. Veteran midfielder Gareth Barry may prove expendable also.
Koeman has much potential to work with and it is here that Rooney’s return may prove most significant.
As a veteran of Champions League finals and World Cups, Rooney is in a position to teach the club’s young players how to handle the biggest matches.
In addition to Pickford and Keane, Everton have a number of young players on their books; full-back Mason Holgate and midfielder Tom Davies impressed when given chances last season, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the goal that won England the Under-20 World Cup last month, and Kieran Dowell, Conor Grant and Ademola Lookman are also on the fringes.
Koeman’s ability to integrate the youngsters will be tested and Rooney could well find himself mentoring these players as he settles back in.
Ross Barkley would no doubt benefit from Rooney’s advice too, but his future still looks as if it lies elsewhere, with his contract expiring in 12 months and no agreement in place to extend it. Barkley is arguably where Rooney was 13 years ago, a boyhood Everton fan now certain that the only way to better himself is to leave.
That is a sign that Everton still have work to do to shake off their tag of Premier League also-rans. Under Moshiri, however, the club are doing their best.
Last season, Everton were the best of the rest in England, finishing seventh in the top flight. The fans are hopeful that they might just crack the top six this time around. Manage that, and Rooney’s return really will have been worth it.
BornBlue76
Player Valuation: £35m
To be fair I think he was better than Ronaldo or Messi at that age. Don't know why they moved on and he seemed to plateau. I do think there is something to be said about the day in day out rigors of the premiership. Rooney I felt expressed himself less than he should be at Utd whereas the other 2 had free reign. Whatever it was he didn't become the player he could have been.. which was the best player on the planet.. so the bench was set pretty high.
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