Wayne Rooney had a career full of ups and downs.
There was that remarkable breakthrough moment with a stunning goal against Arsenal at the age of just 16, which ended a 30-game unbeaten run for the Gunners.
⏪ | “Remember the name – @WayneRooney!”#onthisday in 2002… #EFC 🔵 pic.twitter.com/wB17vNhBuQ
— Everton (@Everton) October 19, 2020
There were also several lows, such as the Liverpudlian’s bizarre decision to kick out at Miodrag Dzudovic during a 2-2 draw against Montenegro in 2012, which saw him suspended for most of England’s group stage at UEFA Euro 2012, and of course, that red card against Portugal at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Wayne Rooney – however – did not mention these moments when describing the one regret from his career during a chat with talkSPORT back in 2019.
The conversation with Sam Allardyce that Wayne Rooney ended up regretting
The 39-year-old revealed that his offer to play in midfield for Everton under Sam Allardyce, to bring more control to the side, ended up becoming a huge regret.
Rooney – Manchester United’s record scorer – said: “I loved playing football and being involved in the game, but, if I was maybe a little bit more selfish, then my stats would probably be a bit better if I played as a number nine throughout my career. I think my only regret, really, was my last year at Everton.
“I started off playing as a striker and then the team wasn’t doing well and then, all through my own fault really, speaking with the manager, we both felt it would be better if I went into a midfield role to try and help us get control of games. When really, I think I should have turned round and said, I want to be up top and scoring goals. I had done it in the first half of the season but, when I went into the midfield role, I didn’t do it so much.”
Rooney – who named Nani as his worst teammate – played in central midfield on six occasions for Everton in the second half of that 2017/18 campaign, failing to score or assist, whereas in the first stage of the season, he had impressively netted ten goals and provided two assists as a striker.
Wayne Rooney rolled back the years as a striker in Major League Soccer
Rooney moved to Washington after this 2017/18 season to play for D.C. United, where he shone as a striker.
England’s second-highest goalscorer bagged 12 goals and six assists in just 20 Major League Soccer appearances in Washington, including a stunning effort which you can see below.
“It’s Wayne Rooney! Of course you believe it” 😲@WayneRooney produces yet another stunning strike from his own half, for the third time in his career, to help DC United beat Orlando overnight pic.twitter.com/pjH0zohpCw
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 27, 2019
Everton did end up surviving that 2017/18 campaign under Allardyce with Rooney in midfield, although the man from Croxteth clearly would have preferred to remain up front.
