Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Wayne Rooney
has asked to leave the club.Just hours before Tuesday's much-anticipated press conference, the England striker was carried off on a stretcher during United's training session.
Although Rooney did complete the first part of Tuesday's training session - which is open to the media - once the cameras had left he suffered an ankle injury that means he will miss tomorrow's Champions League encounter with Bursaspor at Old Trafford.
The news was revealed at the end of a dramatic five-minute resume of Rooney's status at the club by Ferguson, who confirmed the 24-year-old called off contract negotiations in August.
In an interview with MUTV, Ferguson said: "David (Gill, chief executive) in the early part of the summer had opened talks with his agent and that was to be continued after the World Cup.
"I was in the office on August 14 and David phoned me to say he wasn't signing a contract.
"I was dumbfounded. Only months before he was saying he was at the greatest club in the world.
"I asked to have a meeting with the boy.
"He reiterated what his agent said, that he wanted to go. I said to him, ‘Just remember one thing: respect this club.’"
"I don’t want any nonsense from you, respect your club. What we’re seeing now in the media is disappointing because we’ve done everything we can for Wayne Rooney, since the minute he’s come to the club.
"We’ve always been there as a harbour for him. Any time he’s been in trouble, the advice we’ve given him – I’ve even been prepared to give him financial advice, many times. But you do that for your players, not just Wayne Rooney. That’s Manchester United.
"This is a club which bases all its history and its tradition on the loyalty and trust between managers and players and the club. That goes back to the days of Sir Matt. That’s what it’s founded on.
"Wayne’s been a beneficiary of this help, just as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and all the players have been. That’s what we’re there for. "
Ferguson denied reports that he and the player had fallen out, and revealed his irritation that Rooney had denied having an ankle injury.
"There’s been no falling out," he said.
"That’s why we need to clarify the situation now for our fans. Because what we saw on Saturday was unacceptable. When we were at 2-2 and the fans were chanting for Wayne Rooney, it put pressure on the players and it didn’t do any good for the team.
"So we’ve got to clarify the situation and try to do it right. There’s no offer on the table for Wayne [at the moment]
"You have to understand the mechanics of these situations when someone wants to leave the club. It's an easy one to say you've fallen out with the manager."
Asked whether or not he was genuinely injured, something Rooney denied following England's game against Montenegro, Ferguson said: "Yes, he was injured. I said that in a TV interview some weeks ago.
"We sent him for a scan but there was no doubt that although he's able to train he's still carrying traces of that injury.
"Why he came out and said that you can only guess yourself.
"It was disappointing he said that."
He continued: "When it came to the Sunderland game, I gave him a complete break hoping he would get his form back.
"Why he's come out and said that I have no idea."
source:espn
