Category — Manchester United
Footballer of the Year 2010 – Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney has been voted the 2010 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.
he Manchester United striker topped the poll of journalists with just over 81 per cent of a record votes cast, finishing ahead of Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez to win the prestigious accolade which has been running since 1948.
The 24-year-old – who has led the Reds Devils’ challenge to Chelsea for the Barclays Premier League title, scoring some 34 goals in all competitions – will receive his award at the FWA’s gala dinner at The Lancaster London Hotel on 13th May.
“I am delighted to win an award with so much history and tradition and to follow a long line of wonderful players who have been honoured by the Football Writers’ Association since 1948 gives me real pride,” said Rooney.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my manager at United, Sir Alex Ferguson, the coaching staff and my team-mates, without whose help and support this award would not have been possible.
“Also a big thanks to my family and friends for their constant support which is always appreciated.
“I thank the Football Writers’ Association members who voted for me and I look forward to personally collecting my award at the Footballer of the Year dinner.”
FWA chairman Steve Bates, chief football writer for The People, commented: “Wayne is a worthy winner of our prestigious award and the margin of his victory is testimony to the marvellous season he has had for club and country.
“His tally of 34 goals so far this season is certain to have captured the attention of our members, but I am sure the overall improvement in his game at Manchester United has been of equal significance.
“Wayne’s enthusiasm, hunger and desire mark him out as a special player and we hope he can carry his club form onto the international stage in the World Cup this summer to help England achieve their dream.
“We now look forward to saluting Wayne at our dinner.”
Rooney was last week named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year to crown his best season yet.
The England striker has scored 26 goals in 30 Barclays Premier League appearances but is set to sit out Sunday’s showdown at Sunderland through injury.
He hopes to be fit for the final fixture at home to Stoke City on 9th May but has pledged to be fit for the World Cup finals in South Africa.
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April 30, 2010 No Comments
Rooney wins top PFA award
Manchester United striker Rooney has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year while Aston Villa midfielder Milner won the Young Player of the Year award.
Rooney’s selection ahead of fellow nominees Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba means Manchester United have supplied the winner of the prestigious award for a fourth successive year.
The 24-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring 34 goals for United and eight for England, and is key to the nation’s World Cup hopes.
“It’s a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it’s voted for by the players,” said Rooney.
“It’s something I’m really proud of and it’s a great honour.
“I remember coming here in 2005 and 2006 to win the young player of the year.
“I saw the players winning the main one and it’s something I’ve aimed for since.”
Rooney, who has only just returned from an ankle problem, missed the weekend’s 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur with a groin injury sustained in training.
The Barclays Premier League’s top scorer with 26 strikes hopes to return for United’s campaign finale against Stoke City next month and promised he will be fit for the World Cup.
“The groin will be fine for the World Cup, there are no worries about that,” he said.
“I’m hoping to play for United in the last game of the season.”
Rooney, the first Englishman to win the award since Steven Gerrard in 2006, paid tribute to the influence United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has had on his career.
“Sir Alex is a great manager who has really brought me on as a player since I joined United,” he said.
“His hunger passes through to the players. It’s great to see that he’s pushing 70 and hasn’t changed a bit.
“I’m sure he’ll be here for a long time yet.”
Rooney was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year, but that award went to Milner.
The Villa starlet appears to have played himself into Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad with a string of stellar performances and the 24-year-old midfielder credited a change in position for his success this season.
“I’ve been moved into the middle and that suits me as it helps me influence the game a bit more,” said Milner.
“Maybe sometimes wide right you want to influence the game but you just can’t get yourself into it.”
Leeds United legend and former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe, 41, won the PFA Merit award.
“I’m very proud to get such a great award. Sport can change the world – football has played such a big part in lifting my community,” said Radebe.
The PFA divisional team of the year contains four United players, spearheaded by Rooney.
Arsenal, whose title challenge fell away in the final rounds, supply Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen and there are also two from Chelsea in Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic.
The inclusion of Milner and Richard Dunne means Aston Villa are represented twice as well.
Premier League team of the year: Hart, Ivanovic, Vermaelen, Dunne, Evra, Fabregas, Milner, Fletcher, Valencia, Rooney, Drogba.
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April 26, 2010 No Comments
Manchester United in Champions League Quarter final
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Wayne Rooney reached 30 goals for the season as Manchester United marched into the last eight of the Champions League with a clinical 4-0 demolition of AC Milan here on Wednesday.
On a night that saw David Beckham return to where it all started for him, it was the current darling of the Old Trafford faithful who steered United into the quarter-finals by following up his double in the 3-2 first leg victory in Milan with another brace.
A first-half header put Sir Alex Ferguson’s side firmly in control and the the England striker killed the tie in the opening seconds of the second period.
Park Ji-Sung and Darren Fletcher round off a memorable night as United eliminated their opponents for the first time in five attempts since two of European football’s iconic institutions first met, 52 years ago.
The predictions of a fluid encounter were vindicated by an opening ten minutes in which Milan might have established the two-goal lead they required to overturn the deficit from the first leg.
United had the first opportunities, Rooney’s shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area slipping just the wrong sight of the post, Gary Neville’s 25-yarder dipping into the roof of the net just too late and a Nani shot being turned round the post by Christian Abbiati.
But those were definitely in the half-chance category, unlike the openings enjoyed by Ronaldinho, who directed a free header from Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick wide, and Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
Having been put beyond the United back four by Ronaldinho’s floated pass, the Dutch striker fluffed his attempt to bring the ball under his control.
Milan’s profligacy was swiftly sanctioned with Rooney giving United a 13th-minute lead with his third headed goal of the tie.
Allowed to advance though the inside right channel in leisurely fashion, Neville had time to tee up a cross which Rooney directed beyond Abbiati’s right-hand having been granted an equally generous amount of space by his marker, Daniele Bonera.
That left Milan needing to score three times and, for the remainder of the first-half that appeared a very remote prospect, the visitors’ only moment of menace coming when Edwin van der Sar needed a second attempt to smother Pirlo’s swerving shot.
Darren Fletcher came closest to extending United’s lead before the break, his drive curling just wide in first-half stoppage time.
The break saw Bonera replaced by Clarence Seedorf as Milan played their final cards, but within a minute of the restart, Rooney had killed the tie.
Having escaped the attentions of Ignazio Abate, Nani curled a delightful pass behind the remodelled Milan back four and Rooney was able to tuck the ball past Abbiati.
Huntelaar spurned another opportunity when he headed Abate’s cross over from four yards out but that was a rare moment of menace from a team that was beginning to show its age.
With the hour mark approaching, Park latched on to a Paul Scholes pass and, at full stretch, directed a low finish across Abbiati and inside the far post.
Beckham’s entry for the last 25 minutes was greeted with the predicted ovation and, while there was little he could do about the outcome, he did offer a reminder of why he was such a favourite with the Old Trafford crowd with a sweetly struck volley that van der Sar had to touch over the bar.
United’s fourth goal came three minutes from the end, Fletcher ghosting in at the back post to head home Rafael’s cross from the right.
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March 11, 2010 1 Comment
Manchester United win Carling Cup for 2010
Rooney, on as a substitute for the injured Michael Owen after being initially left on the bench, powered a magnificent header past Brad Friedel from 10 yards out to win it for the holders with just 16 minutes remaining.
That capped a fine comeback from the Barclays Premier League champions, who recovered from the shock of going behind inside five minutes to win 2-1.
James Milner scored from the spot after Nemanja Vidic hauled down Gabriel Agbonlahor inside the United box.
United were level after 13 minutes when Dimitar Berbatov dispossessed Richard Dunne before racing into the Villa box.
Dunne got back well to slide in and take the ball away from the Bulgarian, but only diverted it into the path of Owen, who fired home unerringly past Friedel.
Owen looked as sharp as he has all season in troubling the Villa defence constantly, but his afternoon ended early as he injured his hamstring running onto a Berbatov pass.
Rooney replaced him and United, after weathering that early storm, gradually turned the screw as they dominated possession.
The excellent Park Ji-Sung hit a post with a left-foot shot while Friedel produced an excellent save to deny Michael Carrick.
But United finally went ahead for the first time on 74 minutes as Rooney did brilliantly to get sufficient power to beat Friedel from Antonio Valencia’s right-wing cross.
It was almost 3-1 soon after as Rooney hit a post with another powerful header, and Villa almost levelled when a Stewart Downing cross flicked off the head of Vidic before bouncing off the United bar.
Villa threw Dunne forward in the closing minutes but he headed wide in a desperate finale as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side hung on to retain the trophy.
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March 1, 2010 1 Comment
Owen is a confirmed Red Devil
Its confirmed, Owen will join Red Devil on a Pay-as-you-play deal. It was reported that Michael will take a pay cut from his £110,000 a week pay with Newcastle for a reported £50,000 per with but with massive performance-related bonuses which could take him close to his pay with the Magpies.
The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and England frontman completed a series of stringent medical tests and has signed a two-year deal with the Barclays Premier League champions.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the official club website: “Michael is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question.
“Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish.”
Michael Owen said: “I had just begun to talk to other clubs when out of the blue Sir Alex phoned me on Wednesday afternoon, invited me to have breakfast with him the next morning during which he told me that he wanted to sign me. I agreed without a moment’s thought.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it with both hands.
“I am now looking forward to being a Manchester United player and I am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here. I missed pre-season last year and am pleased that I will be starting at Carrington from day one.
“I want to thank Sir Alex for the faith he has shown in me and I give him my assurance that I will repay him with my goals and performances”
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July 4, 2009 No Comments
