Manchester United centurion Wayne Rooney has shrugged off the claims from Arsenal fans that he was on his way down already before contact from Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia in the 2-1 victory over the Gunners last Saturday. Rooney scored from the resulting penalty – which brought United back into the game.
Rooney was at the centre of a penalty controversy back in November 2004 – when Sol Campbell brought United’s then number 8 to the floor in front of a watching Stretford End. Campbell was so angered by Rooney’s ‘dive’ he refused to shake hands with the ever developing Rooney. The result ended Arsenal’s unbeaten league run on 49, thats 49 – not 50. Fast forward five years and at the same end Rooney’s integrity was being questioned by some Gooners – still angered at the fact that full time diver Eduardo was to miss two Champions League games for Arsenal (I do have some sympathy considering diving is a bookable offense as opposed to a red card offense).
Comical Rooney played down the accusations of his diving but admitted that he had dived….whilst on holiday (what a crazy guy):
“Have I ever dived? On holiday, yeah. But, no, I have never intentionally tried to dive. There have been times when I’ve tried to stay on my feet to get the shot off rather than going down.”
As a forward you should always remain on your feet whenever possible in my book. If you go to ground easy you always risk being booked and ultimately simulation is a form of cheating. However, I understand why players like Rooney do go ground under challenges like Almunia’s. The Spaniard had no reason to come out that far and challenge for the ball – replays showed he clearly misjudged the ball and indeed grasped the legs of our number ten. One thing I have always wondered though – why is it that when you get older as a footballer you tend to ‘use your experience’ to go down under a challenge rather than be classified as a diver? Why is that?
Rooney also commented on the laughable dive from Emmanuel Eboue:
“That was clear for everyone to see and he got the punishment of a yellow card. These things have happened for years and you can only bank on the referees making the right decision and giving the right punishment. It’s important the game is played honestly. I’m sure many big games have been decided by wrong decisions. But it’s not down to me to fix, it’s down to other people.”
So there you have it. Rooney dives – on holiday – and he thinks, like the rest of us, that Emmanuel Eboue is an absolute cheat.
Rooney was on his way down BEFORE he made any contact with Almunia.
He´s just a better cheater than Eduardo….
Eboue is a disgrace and a diver, but Rooney is def a diver.
Lol, rooney.
You didnt do an obvious dive, when you jumped over Sol Campbells legs and stole Arsenal’s unbeaten record?
Hypocrite, just like Stevie G
I can name an occassion when he dived
that makes him a cheat
Lets be honest Rooney can do whatever he wants on a football pitch and get away with it. Last Saturday he did dive but it was still a pen as Almunia didn’t get his hands out of the way.
The most ridiculous thing from last Saturday was Bacary Sagna getting booked for dissent for far less than Rooney’s antics which usually take place at least 3 or 4 times per game.
in todays sun the media finally mention rooney’s dive against arsenal,ending their 49 game unbeaten run.i happened to bump into sol campbell 4 months ago and asked if their had been any contact.I already knew the answer so i was’nt too surpraised when he said no.The most shocking thing is the fact the man u supporters were berating edurdo when the biggest diver the game has ever seen ala ronaldo regulary won or cheated to get penalties and free kicks,which led to united goals.Also who can forget the game when the united keeper pulled the ball 3 yards out of the net,fthe goal did’nt stand.united are always cheating and that is why they are so hated,
Ermmm four years ago…u cheating, granny-shagging, pikey prick.
You need to go to youtube and take another look, Rooney is well on his way to the floor as soon as he sees the keeper is going to try to get the ball. For him to say he is an honest player and just wants to get on with the playing the game is laughable.
Eboue is just a disgrace and needs to get this out of his game, or get out of the game
And the worst part is, that he gets away with everything – only because he is english.
I have never seen a player complaining so many times, at every single foul og decision made by the referee.
Next time watch him, and see his body language is disgusting. He is just as big a cheat as Stevie G and far bigger than Eduardo.
Get yourself together Rooney, you are disgusting!
And the worst part is, that he gets away with everything – only because he is english.
I have never seen a player complaining so many times, at every single foul or decision made by the referee.
Next time watch him, and see his body language is disgusting. He is just as big a cheat as Stevie G and far bigger than Eduardo.
Get yourself together Rooney, you are disgusting!
Rooney – Type “Rooney dive Blackburn” in to youtube and then sit and watch in embarrasment you lying sack of shit.
I disagree
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2FilSIGfCo
Look at youtube to see Rooney’s dives, the same is all players do it, some do it better than others,Eboue is a disgrace to the Arsenal shirt and how stupid was he to have done that in spite of the Eduardo incident, total cretin, he has to go. UEFA have to take a stance but they have to maintain it…somehow I don’t think they will, it’s killing the game
You think Campbell “brought Rooney to the floor”?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTxl799Q2t4
Did he keep a straight face when he said that?
My hands up. United fan! But Rooney shouldnt be talking this.
Everyone does diving, and singling out Eduardo the way its gone so far, is pretty ridiculous. Its sad, and stretched far, threatens the very foundation of the game, as in , video ref thru the backdoor.
Its nonsense. On Rooney, he is improved but he just shouldnt be talking this.
Rooney is so hilarious. He’s a serial diver and everyone knows it. I even see Alex Ferguson supporting the ban on Eduardo while claiming Rooney is an angel. Both of them should shut up, the hypocrites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXw7Xk4hk-Q&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cmpozcslIA&NR=1
Now now excitable Gooners.
Must admit that Rooney has been susceptible to the ol’ tumble in the past so his comments look a little silly when you take into account any moron can copy and paste a Youtube link.
As for the over reactions on here you have to laugh. “Serial Diver”, “far bigger than Eduardo”, “disgusting”.. give me a break.
Quit whining about 2004 – there was contact from Campbell, however minimal, yes it may have been a feather brush but he was an idiot for falling for it. You might think cheating ended your wonderful run but how many times did your disgusting petulant side cheat to keep it going? Pires v Portsmouth is one high profile example. And of course the infamous Fulham game where Arsenal players convinced Mark Halsey to not give a penalty.
The most clear thing here is how Arsenal fans pander to whatever Wenger says, no matter how much crap it is.
It’s clear nobody here has defended Eboue but it makes you think of what exactly Wenger says behind closed doors when just days after one of his players is charged for decieving the ref, another one is at it.
Wenger hints that Fletcher got away with 20 fouls, he’s never seen anyone foul so much, despite van Persie committing as many in the same game.
Wenger hits out at “Old Trafford-ish” refereeing just days after his side cheat at the Emirates to win a penalty, despite there being nothing dubious about our penalty award. On a ground where his side benefitted two years ago from their player punching a ball into the net for a goal.
The fans just follow suit completely blind to their idiocy.
Arsenal fans are by far the most deluded in the top flight – over the last 6 months I’ve heard that Almunia is the best keeper in the country, Sagna the best right back, Vermaelen is as good as Vidic, Clichy best left back, Song best holding midfielder in the country (I kid you not), van Persie better than Ronaldo, not forgetting of course the elevation of Eduardo to some kind of demi God just because he broke his leg (shame Alan Smith’s break didn’t have the same impact on him!) a total wankfest over some kind who played well in a friendly against Rangers and the declaration that Arsenal have been playing total football this season (opposition irrelevant, of course). This is as we all know the same Arsenal side that is celebrating a half decade without a trophy and have made struggling for 4th spot an art form.
The reality is they are a bunch of over hyped whingers who cheat with more regularity than any of the top 4 and behave like complete babies in defeat. You would have thought that at Wenger’s age and with his experience he would know better than to come out with the absolute pile of turd he has over the last 8 days.
Unwise comments from Mr Rooney but he is still infinitely more honest than any of the scrotes in an Arsenal shirt.
Take ur blindfold off you whining manc fuckard, your repellant mob made cheating into an art form before dudu was even born! You’re the specialists at it. Hounding referees every time a decision goes agin ya. Tackles that a karate expert would be proud of. Going to ground like a fuckin mole every chance you get. Need I go on? Shrek dives, fact. Fletch’s a thug who should be banged up, fact. Manager who out-tantrums a toddler every time your shower of shit loses a game.. The list is endless. And you call Us cheats?? Get a life son! Tescos got them on sale cheap if it helps.
Gooner&Proud2be – this is exactly what I’m talking about. You write about our manager having a tantrum just DAYS after your last match where your manager kicked a water bottle, stormed into the stands, and made stupid excuses after being completely fairly beaten.
If it’s not this then it’s the behaviour of your “captain”, a babe in arms yet to really figure in a trophy winning team who regularly insults managers and assistants of visiting clubs, either with language or by spitting or throwing food at them. Classy. Show us the way, Cesc.
I’m sorry but no team has contained so many disgusting characters in one era as your beloved Arsenal. Eboue, Vieira, Fabregas, all known to spit at opponents, well over 70 red cards – SEVENTY – in just over a decade, a high profile dive almost every game, players like Fabregas who with nothing to gain cheat to get another player sent off and miss the biggest game of his career. This is the kind of behaviour that is the lowest form of professionalism and is a field in which Arsenal specialise in – remember trying to injure Evra so he missed the final, too? Charming bunch of young gentlemen.
Mid table players like Bentley and Bendtner groomed by Wenger to think they’re some kind of Billy Big Bollocks, a manager who clearly cannot psychologically control his players (Campbell, Merson, Gallas, Lehmann etc), and a fan base that seem to think a few trophies thrown into this mix makes Wenger the best coach ever. Laughable.
Even your best player, Bergkamp, was a snidy little shit as soon as Wenger got his claws into him. Yes we have had players who were no angels but at least in the likes of Keane and Cantona, now Vidic etc they stand up to the opposition. I’ve said it before, Arsenal are the playground equivalent of a girl who pulls your hair or the kid who kicks your ankles because you’re better than them.
Best case study, the Vieira/Keane tunnel incident. Sums up Arsenal since Wenger took over.
Such a bunch of cowards, it’s no surprise that you’re happy to see Wenger completely rape the tradition of your club. From 15 years ago, probably the Alpha English club, to this. One that rarely fields an English player, has defenders wearing famous strikers numbers, chases referee and makes them CHANGE THEIR MIND on decisions (how does that work??), occasionally plays pretty football on their latest trophyless campaign (just like Tottenham), and boasts Eboue in their ranks, a player who single handedly makes Arsenal the most despicable cheating top 4 club. And of course the 70 + red cards, lest we forget. Bravo my friend, bravo.
Behaviour like you showed in the last game (and the reaction of your fans since) is a perfect reason to despise your club even though as challengers we have long since parted ways.
The fact that this discussion only exists because Arsenal are trying to claim Rooney dived in a 100% nailed on penalty incident, just days after what Eduardo did, paints the picture I’m trying to write quite beautifully.
Rooney has mastered the art of diving, unlike edwardo, but Alumunia did make contact with him and not the ball, so penalty is a valid call here
wat do you think of rooney today…is he cheat like eduado???surely if dives