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Throwing this on here for peoples opinions on what Joey Barton has said about Rooney today....

Manchester Utd: Wayne Rooney is not world class - Joey Barton
Comments (398) Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney lacks the mentality to become a "world-class" player, says Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton.

Rooney, 28, recently signed a new contract that puts him among the highest-paid players in football.

But Barton - an admirer of Rooney - said his mental approach leaves him behind the world's best on the pitch.

"Look at his approach and mentality compared to Cristiano Ronaldo's. Polar opposites," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

The 31-year-old added: "Rooney potentially, could have been world class. But why is Ronaldo a Ballon d'Or  winner and Rooney isn't?

"Players who have worked with both say the level of discipline Ronaldo has is the reason he is the best player in the world."

Barton stressed that although he considers Rooney to be "the epitome of a class Englishman", he feels players such as Real Madrid forward Ronaldo are more deserving of the 'world class' label.

"When you see Rooney smoking cigarettes," Barton continued, "is he doing everything he can to be the best player in the world? The gulf is getting wider."

Since making his senior debut for Everton at the age of 16 in August 2002, Rooney has gone on to win five Premier League titles, two League Cups, three FA Cups and the Champions League and Fifa World Club Cup once with United, who he joined for £25.6m in 2004.

But Barton said he believes Rooney falling short of his potential was part of a wider problem within English football at large, adding that Roy Hodgson's England side have "no chance at the World Cup," and that "no one believes we can win it - the manager, the media, the players."

The former Manchester City and Newcastle player also added that he "would have sacked Greg Dyke on the spot" for a cut-throat gesture the FA chairman made as England were placed in Group D alongside Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica during the draw in Brazil on 6 December.

Barton was speaking to Sir Clive Woodward in a 5 live programme Sir Clive Woodward Meets to be broadcast at 19.30 BST on Thursday 3 April.

My own opinion is that he definitely is world class but that he would have developed even more had he made the move abroad about 3 seasons ago.

He is still for me a top top player though.

Rooney is world class IMO, and I think England might surprise a few people this summer.
If Hodgson picks the likes of Sturridge, Sterling, Barkley, Shaw and Lallana I think England would be a tough proposition for any team.

                              Gerrard             Barkley

                  Sterling            Rooney           Lallana

                                         Sturridge

England usually go to the World Cup with a team full of arl crabs and United players who shouldn't be in there but a midfield/forward line like the one I've posted has a lot of pace and energy about it.

for me rooney is a good player but no where near the same bracket as ronaldo, messi or even suarez.
not knocking rooney but in 10 years at OT he has only broke 20 in the league twice (i think). thats not good enough considering he plays for a top club that has dominated during that time. he hasnt set the world alight on the international stage either giving the amount of tournaments he has played in.
i also think he is the type that has to work real hard to keep the weight off and if he's smoking then i cannot see his playing career going beyond 32.
as i said he is a good player but id find it hard to place him in europes top 5 never mind the world. i think the ones who rate him as world class are either manure fans or english.

red till i die!! » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:17 pm wrote:for me rooney is a good player but no where near the same bracket as ronaldo, messi or even suarez.
not knocking rooney but in 10 years at OT he has only broke 20 in the league twice (i think). thats not good enough considering he plays for a top club that has dominated during that time. he hasnt set the world alight on the international stage either giving the amount of tournaments he has played in.
i also think he is the type that has to work real hard to keep the weight off and if he's smoking then i cannot see his playing career going beyond 32.
as i said he is a good player but id find it hard to place him in europes top 5 never mind the world. i think the ones who rate him as world class are either manure fans or english.

I'm English and don't think he is world class either. Potential to be - yes, reality - no.

He seems in it for the money to be honest. He had the opportunity to leave Man Utd and go abroad where he would have clearly developed as a player and a brand, yet he accepted the money thrown at him to stay.

red till i die!! » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:17 pm wrote:for me rooney is a good player but no where near the same bracket as ronaldo, messi or even suarez.
not knocking rooney but in 10 years at OT he has only broke 20 in the league twice (i think). thats not good enough considering he plays for a top club that has dominated during that time. he hasnt set the world alight on the international stage either giving the amount of tournaments he has played in.
i also think he is the type that has to work real hard to keep the weight off and if he's smoking then i cannot see his playing career going beyond 32.
as i said he is a good player but id find it hard to place him in europes top 5 never mind the world. i think the ones who rate him as world class are either manure fans or english.

You could turn your argument on its head and use it against Messi and Ronaldo.
What have they achieved in the international game?
And Ronaldo only broke the 20 league goals in a season barrier once himself in 6 years at United.
Ronaldo has been at Madrid for 5 years and hasn't managed to reach one single CL final with them, hardly impressive considering he's surrounded by £100's of millions worth of talent.
The truth is they are all top players, Rooney included, and I'm no southern cross of st. George waver either.

Rooney is a world class player, but hes currently in decline IMO hes not in the highest bracket at the moment with his current form but hes easily one of the top 20 attacking players on the planet. IMO he should of left Utd last year, hes gone stale from years of being used as a spare part by Ferguson. When hes played upfront consistently he does score goals but hes to busy these days wasting his energy closing people down and spraying the ball to wingers rather than being direct like he used to. He also doesn't seem to have the athleticism to dribble past players anymore, in his younger days he was explosive, powerful as well as skillful.

Ferguson played him out of position so many times and i think that really affected his game.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:03 pm wrote:

red till i die!! » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:17 pm wrote:for me rooney is a good player but no where near the same bracket as ronaldo, messi or even suarez.
not knocking rooney but in 10 years at OT he has only broke 20 in the league twice (i think). thats not good enough considering he plays for a top club that has dominated during that time. he hasnt set the world alight on the international stage either giving the amount of tournaments he has played in.
i also think he is the type that has to work real hard to keep the weight off and if he's smoking then i cannot see his playing career going beyond 32.
as i said he is a good player but id find it hard to place him in europes top 5 never mind the world. i think the ones who rate him as world class are either manure fans or english.

You could turn your argument on its head and use it against Messi and Ronaldo.
What have they achieved in the international game?
And Ronaldo only broke the 20 league goals in a season barrier once himself in 6 years at United.
Ronaldo has been at Madrid for 5 years and hasn't managed to reach one single CL final with them, hardly impressive considering he's surrounded by £100's of millions worth of talent.
The truth is they are all top players, Rooney included, and I'm no southern cross of st. George waver either.

ronaldo has achieved a lot internationally, he has a runners up medal in the euro's and a bronze also. he has performed at any tournament i have ever seen him play in. top scorer for his country also. he also outscored rooney in each of his last 3 years at manure and his record for madrid now is second to none. one man cannot win the cl on his own regardless of how much his team mates cost.
messi performed in the last W.C and the copa americas. he has also won gold at the olympics and an u20 W.C. his club record is also staggering.
both players perform for their countrys and have a far more impact than rooney who will be remembered most for stamping on carvalho and handicapping his country with another petulant ban by having to sit out 2 games in the last euro's. i admit rooney has had some fantastic games for england and scored some crackers but he still isnt anywhere near the other 2 in terms of quality and impact for club or country.

SouthCoastShankly » Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:52 pm wrote:

red till i die!! » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:17 pm wrote:for me rooney is a good player but no where near the same bracket as ronaldo, messi or even suarez.
not knocking rooney but in 10 years at OT he has only broke 20 in the league twice (i think). thats not good enough considering he plays for a top club that has dominated during that time. he hasnt set the world alight on the international stage either giving the amount of tournaments he has played in.
i also think he is the type that has to work real hard to keep the weight off and if he's smoking then i cannot see his playing career going beyond 32.
as i said he is a good player but id find it hard to place him in europes top 5 never mind the world. i think the ones who rate him as world class are either manure fans or english.

I'm English and don't think he is world class either. Potential to be - yes, reality - no.

He seems in it for the money to be honest. He had the opportunity to leave Man Utd and go abroad where he would have clearly developed as a player and a brand, yet he accepted the money thrown at him to stay.

agree SCS.
pure greed with that lad and has held his club over a barrel several times. he should have went abroad a few years ago and could have easily signed for madrid under mourinho. other than that love in i can't remember any other top european club trying to move heaven and earth to sign him.
for me rooney has probably his last chance to live up to that potential this summer.

Rooney's best days were at Everton. When he first broke into that team, and then into the England team, he was brilliant. When he joined united it all went (  .  Y  .  ) up.

He hasn't been world class since his teenage years, but hes English and plays for united so he will continue to be hyped by everyone except realists.

Arguably United's worst player last night. Clearly not fit. Epitomises everything wrong with modern football to me.

Says he wants to leave because United aren't signing enough world class players. Gets a new contract and a pay rise. They finally get Van Persie who is world class and Rooney ends up playing out of position in midfield. Moans about playing out of position. Says he wants to leave again. Gets another new contract and pay rise.

Absolutely mugging that club off. How the fans can't see it is beyond me.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:06 pm wrote:Rooney is world class IMO, and I think England might surprise a few people this summer.
If Hodgson picks the likes of Sturridge, Sterling, Barkley, Shaw and Lallana I think England would be a tough proposition for any team.

                              Gerrard             Barkley

                  Sterling            Rooney           Lallana

                                         Sturridge

England usually go to the World Cup with a team full of arl crabs and United players who shouldn't be in there but a midfield/forward line like the one I've posted has a lot of pace and energy about it.

Would never in a million years play Barkley that deep. Not ever. He's far better and less of a liabilty off the front.  Also I'd put Oxlade-Chamberlain in instead of Lallana.

Probably...
                        Gerrard        Wilshire
Sterling                       Barkley                Chaimberlain
                                 
                                  Rooney

Kharhaz » Thu Apr 10, 2014 1:25 am wrote:Rooney's best days were at Everton. When he first broke into that team, and then into the England team, he was brilliant. When he joined united it all went (  .  Y  .  ) up.

He hasn't been world class since his teenage years, but hes English and plays for united so he will continue to be hyped by everyone except realists.

I was surprised at Jamie Redknap writing in the mail listing players who will be big hits in the WC, he had the usual, Ronaldo, Messi and of course Suarez but out of England he picked Rooney. I really cannot understand this as Rooney has failed at every WC he has played in.

Rooney isn't world class.

Just another overrated Englishman.

Another example on the world stage why Rooney is overrated and nowhere near world class.

Dog Sh*t performance again from the granny *****.