SOCCER:ALEX FERGUSON has taken the unprecedented step of sending Wayne Rooney to America for a week of extensive conditioning work to get him away from the glare of publicity.
It is the second time this season the Manchester United manager has broken with tradition to protect his star striker, having kept him out of the September meeting with former club Everton to save the 25-year-old from inevitable abuse about his personal life.
Ferguson must hope this latest intervention triggers a better reaction than the first as Rooney’s omission at Goodison Park was widely interpreted as the moment when the England forward began to get cold feet about committing his future to the Old Trafford cause.
All that disenchantment exploded over an amazing 11-day period last month, which started immediately after England’s Euro 2012 draw with Montenegro when Rooney openly questioned his manager’s assertion that he was suffering from an ankle injury.
The ill-feeling was eventually calmed and a new five-year contract signed. But the negativity surrounding Rooney has proved harder to remove.
Rooney’s wife Coleen was critical of some reporters who headed out to Dubai where the Rooneys enjoyed a luxurious break last week, while this week the family have been condemned by neighbours for noise that was made at a party they held at their home in Prestbury.
Presumably, Rooney is going with this in mind as much as the medical facilities he will have access to at the Nike World Campus in Oregon, which as plush as it may be, cannot be greatly superior to the state-of-the-art equipment available at United’s own training headquarters at Carrington.
“We have the facilities, we just thought it might be in the interests of Wayne and the club, for him to have a change of scenery for a little while,” said United assistant manager Mike Phelan.
“He has had a lot of attention lately and we are going to give him the best opportunity that he possibly can to be in good shape when he returns. We are looking at the overall picture.
“We are going to try to create an overall environment for him to be fit in a short space of time. He needs the conditioning. We all agree with that. He can go there without the attention he would get around here.”
Rooney has made just one 19-minute substitute appearance since he was replaced at Bolton with half an hour remaining of what turned out to be a disappointing draw.
The 25-year-old has scored just once for his club this season, from the penalty spot against West Ham in August, and has not managed a goal for United in open play since the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in March when he suffered an ankle injury that coincided with his alarming dip in form.
In sending him to the United States, Ferguson is ensuring Rooney will miss next Wednesday’s Manchester derby, which splits Premier League matches with Wolves and Aston Villa.
And, as Fabio Capello will name his squad for England’s friendly with France next Saturday, Rooney will presumably miss that as well before a potential reappearance against Wigan at Old Trafford on November 20th.
“It is a week’s intensive conditioning, under the supervision of our medical team and our sports science department,” confirmed Phelan. “Wayne will leave tomorrow and come back next Saturday. If that goes according to plan, he will be available when he returns.”
Despite missing his weekly press conference due to a virus that should not prevent him being at Old Trafford for tomorrow afternoon’s clash with Wolves, Ferguson also added his weight to the Rooney situation last night in a short statement to the club’s official website.
“The simple reason Wayne is going to the US is to continue his rehabilitation programme and undergo a week of concentrated training and conditioning under the supervision of our medical and sports science staff,” he said.
“We’ve experienced the fantastic facilities at Nike in the past and are happy for him to be there.”
NIKE WORLD CAMPUS THE FACTS
Nike World is the HQ to the whole global Nike empire. Rooney certainly will not be on his own as 7,000 staff work there.
The complex opened in 1990. By 2001 it had doubled in size.
Nike successfully fought off an attempt by the city of Beaverton to annex their HQ. An Oregon Senate Bill in 2005 prevented such a move for another 35 years.
The main campus consists of 17 buildings, named after some of Nike's portfolio of stars including John McEnroe, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
The overall site covers 2m sq ft. The most extensive building is the Mia Hamm building at 450,000sq ft.
United used the campus as their base at the start of a hugely successful US tour in 2003. More recently, Manchester City paid a visit for a nine-day training camp this summer.
Rooney is not going to be short of activity. The complex boasts three full-size football pitches, two health clubs and an 11-lane Olympic swimming pool.
More importantly, it also houses conditioners and trainers who will ensure Rooney works to the fitness programmes he needs.
Rooney will specifically be working with the Sparq team, who aim to improve speed, power, agility, reaction, quickness.
If Rooney gets bored with the sport, he can always go for a wander towards the pond in the middle of the complex, that houses geese and ducks. Alternatively, he can take a walk in the small Chinese garden.
