Wayne Rooney admits to boredom during prolific Manchester United seasons
Wayne Rooney has revealed that he was “bored” during two of his most prolific seasons at Manchester United, admitting that scoring goals alone was not enough to keep him fulfilled on the pitch, reports BritPanorama.
The former England captain, now 40, confessed on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show that even at the height of his powers under Sir Alex Ferguson, he struggled to enjoy playing as a traditional No 9. Despite hitting a remarkable 68 goals across the 2009/10 and 2011/12 campaigns, Rooney said that he often left the field feeling detached from the game.
“I had two seasons when I played as the No 9, scored 34 goals in both but I was bored,” he explained. “I was coming off the pitch and just wasn’t enjoying it. I liked to play football and be involved in the game, so I was scoring goals and we were winning games, but I wanted to get involved.”
Rooney reflected on the patience required by strikers to wait for opportunities — a skill he admitted he never quite mastered. “I didn’t ask Sir Alex to move position, I loved scoring goals and at times playing up front, but it’s a hard skill to learn,” he added.
In the 2009/10 season, Rooney scored 25 goals in the Premier League, five in the Champions League, two in the EFL Cup and one in the Community Shield, but managed only six assists, highlighting how isolated he became in attack. United lifted the EFL Cup that year, but were pipped to the title by Chelsea.
Two years later, he again hit 34 goals — including 27 in the league — during a campaign that ended in heartbreak, as United lost the Premier League title to Manchester City on goal difference. Sergio Agüero’s dramatic stoppage-time winner against QPR consigned Rooney and his teammates to a second-place finish despite their 1-0 win at Sunderland on the same day.
Rooney’s consistency saw him play alongside a host of strike partners, including Robin van Persie, Dimitar Berbatov, Louis Saha, and Javier Hernandez. However, it was his partnership with Carlos Tevez that he remembered most fondly. “I really enjoyed playing with Carlos Tevez,” he said. “There was a big thing in the papers when we signed him saying we were too similar and couldn’t play together, so we were like, ‘We’ll show you.’ We bounced off each other.”
The pair’s relentless work rate and chemistry made them one of Europe’s most feared attacking duos, combining for 47 goals across their time together. Rooney also formed a formidable partnership with Berbatov, the duo scoring 160 goals collectively during the Bulgarian’s four-year spell at the club.
During the programme, Rooney was also asked to select his dream five-a-side team made up of current Premier League stars. He opted for an attack-heavy selection, stating: “Phil Foden definitely, in five-a-side in tight areas he’d be brilliant. Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka. No goalkeeper. Caicedo and Salah.”
While Rooney’s revelations underscore the complexities of a striker’s role, they also remind us of the intricate dance between personal satisfaction and professional ambition that defines the beautiful game. Even in scoring glory, the longing for greater involvement can echo through the annals of football history.
