Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney is quickly regaining his fitness and is a possibility to start in United’s next Premier League game. As a Manchester United fan do you forgive Rooney for his past misdemeanours in order for that of the good of the whole or do you stand by your feeling of being offended and the sense of duty to feel contempt towards his actions? The question put more simply is posed as the good of the whole or the resentment of one to the possible detriment of the whole.
I appear to find myself indecisive on the matter in terms of reasoning about it, but my initial gut reaction owing to my sentiments, suggests that Rooney shouldn’t be forgiven just for the sake of the team. But this is a feeling and not one subjected to reasoning about the pertaining issues. What then could compel United fans to forgive Rooney or maintain a stance of indignation at his actions? It is certainly easier as an onlooker who has no vested interest in the club to come to a decision, so I shall try to emphasise as much as I can.
The first aspect of being a football supporter to note is the fact that primarily you support the team, the club, and not certain players, although you may have one or two favourites, they certainly aren’t enduring in the same way as a club is. Therefore you can put forward the idea that players don’t have to be supported as the club supports them and in turn the fans support the club, a line of support you might say. Rooney offended Manchester United, the players and fans included, through his actions; he extracted all he could through calculated means and a selfish desire that motivated the whole saga.
Conversely, a club relies on its parts to form a coherent whole and when Manchester United are struggling to emulate their Premier League dominance they need one of their major parts to return. So in the best interests of the club, do fans support Rooney as though nothing had happened? Well time is a healer and given a succession of match winning performances, the majority of fans will give Rooney concession for his past mistakes due to his importance to the team.
There will obviously be a gross divide in opinions on this matter, but morally deprived persons are very rarely given their comeuppance in football as long as they perform on the pitch. The fact that Rooney had the temerity to question Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the greatest managers of all-time, and the ambition of the club was astonishing. His commitment is decided by how many zero’s appear on his pay cheque, so why should fans display commitment to him when he treats them as mere accessories?
But these mere accessorises help to pay his wage, some recognition of this or at least an apology for his lugubrious actions towards all involved at United would soften the hearts and heated feelings towards him. What Rooney ought to make certain, is that of scoring and helping United to win the Premier League, otherwise he won’t have justified his behaviour in any manner at all. I’d be interested to know where United fans stand on this one.
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