Oh he's genuinely upset alright and it's obvious he doesn't want Rooney to leave.
Once he gets the story of how the news broke to him from Gill via his agent, out of the way, listen closely.
Rooney isn't leaving for money. Ferguson hints at his personal life and hints at how it's having an effect on him and how United is the best place to be under those circumstances.
I think the player has his head up his arse and is running away from the problem by asking to move.
I think this press conference is for Rooney's benefit, exclusively.
There was no such thing for any other player in the past, with the exception of Cantona.

On the flip side to that, it's well documented he wants a 200,000 a week contract and United aren't willing to give it him... so who knows?
His actions will speak louder than words for me.
If he wants a new life, abroad, with his wife and child to get away from the media and to earn what he wants to earn then it's tolerable.
If he goes to City, he's not running away from any problems.
He will have gone because whatever he's on at United at the moment clearly isn't enough for him to live on.

I believe his head's up his arse at the moment and he just wants out. Either that or he's had a nice holiday in South Africa with his pals from Man City and they've told him what they're on and he'd like a bit of it. Who knows?

For now, he's a Manchester United player and his actions on and off the field will speak volumes.

I found it really strange the press conference was held, basically for Rooney's benefit. I never thought Fergie would clarify the situation like he did.

I can't wait to find out.

According to who? The press?
We already now know about the ankle injury non-story. Another media fabrication twisted out of all recognition.
The boys head fucked. Who knows where his mind is at.
During his meeting with Rooney, Ferguson insists he honours his contract (he actually falls short of saying this) and that "he behaves like a proper professional and we'll try and see it through."
Doesn't sound like a money matter to me.

Here's hoping.

The ankle story, he says he was fit. Fergie says you can clearly see him, when he played against Rangers, hobbling around.
I know who I believe.

Well, you'd hope it's not a money matter.
But if he stays in England, but at a different club - why?
That hasn't solved anything other than a different contract and possibly more money.

It's gonna be a long 3 months of speculation. Maybe it'll all blow over, but if it does blow over - I want Wayne Rooney back. Not this half arsed excuse of a footballer who's playing with very little passion, desire, commitment and let's face it - skill.
His first touch has been awful as of late. If it blows over, I want him back. 100%. I don't want his head elsewhere.

He's "injured" at the moment and probably will be until January. :rolleyes:

No. You got it wrong. He (Rooney) admits on Sky after the Rangers game that he has an ankle injury.
He doesn't deny the injury, but later pushes the truth by saying he's over it before he actually was.
The press used the white lie by claiming the two fell out over it.
Which was bullshit.
It seems to me that Ferguson used the ankle injury as an excuse to rest Rooney because he knew the boy wasn't thinking clearly and his private life was getting on top of him enough to effect his game.
The idea was to give the ankle extra time to heal, along with his mental state in time for the England game.
Unfortunately, it still looks like Rooney hasn't got his real head on yet and still insists on being a mard arsed scouse bastard.

So Fergie claims the extent of the injury has been worse than it actually is, thus leaving him out of certain games. Rooney says he recovered from the injury a while ago and he was fit to play in the games he was left out of. If Rooney and Fergie hadn't fallen out over it, and Fergie did it to give him more time to heal - physically and mentally. Then why would Rooney come out say what he said? I think there's definitely been an argument there myself, if Rooney was happy for his ankle and brain to be rested - he would have kept quiet.

Rooney always wants to play. Doesn't mean they argued about it.
It's a non issue anyway considering he told Ferguson he wanted to leave in August. The ankle story just blew the leaving story into prominence.
I think/hope that Ferguson sees it as an opportunity to get inside Rooney's head.

Sky Sports | Newcastle United | Football | Premier League | Gascoigne in jail warning

"Paul Gascoigne has been warned that he could be jailed after he admitted driving while more than four times the legal alcohol limit."

Yeah, sounds about right.

Paul Gascoigne in a breaking the law due to alcohol shocker. :rolleyes:

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has confirmed that he wishes to leave because of concerns over the club's future squad strength.
The 24-year-old, whose deal expires at the end of next season, revealed he had spoken to chief executive David Gill.
"He did not give me any of the assurances I was seeking about the future squad," Rooney said. BBC

This puts a whole new spin on things.
I can hear the Glazer family give a collective groan from across the Atlantic to here.
This could get lively!