Adam Dennehey WAFU manager
Once upon a time Jack Rodwell was seemingly a player destined to end up in Manchester. This week he has indeed left Merseyside and Everton to sign a team in Manchester, the blue-half and not United.
Rodwell’s signing switch to the new Premier League champions comes as a huge surprise as it’s come out of the blue to pardon the pun. Here is a young midfielder who undoubtedly has a vast amount of talent who can and will only get better by being at a bigger club surrounded by better players than at Goodison Park and that’s no disrespect to Everton, it’s just a fact.
Come to think of it the timing of Rodwell’s transfer is somewhat ironic considering only a day before it was announced that a fee had been agreed between the two clubs that Roberto Mancini claimed to be frustrated at the lack of signings by his club.
Make no mistake about it, Mancini was being clever. City’s owners didn’t just splash the cash immediately to keep the Italian happy, no Mancini said what he said to get City’s fans hyped up about when their first summer-signing would be made. He dangled the carrot in front of them and chomp whadda ‘ya know the next day a signings been made.
So have United missed out on an exceptional young player? Yes
Was there a place for Rodwell at Old Trafford? Yes
However you can’t buy every player and whilst Rodwell over-time would have an impact at United, what do the club need more this summer? A young midfielder (who can operate in defence) or some Dutch forward who could come in and score 20-25 goals that could win the title back and who knows the Champions League.
Ironically just like Robin van Persie, Rodwell has struggled with injuries and perhaps his fitness is the only thing that perhaps could stop him becoming a house-hold name for England. Is he destined to be another Jermaine Jenas or Tom Huddlestone. Only time will tell.
For now though he has a challenge on his hand to get in ahead of Yaya Toure, Nigel de Jong and Mancini favourite Gareth Barry. He will be excited by his challenge but as with any young player joining a club fighting on all fronts for trophies, he should be cautious and make sure he makes the most of his chances or he’ll just be another James Milner or Adam Johnson.
By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87
No. Phil Jones is twice the player, as a versatile one. And Smalling three times the defender. As a midfielder, Rodwell would be interesting but with Cleverley, Anderson, Kagawa all looking sharp and able now there would not be much playing time for him, when Carrick and Scholes are still first choice anyway. Don't really fancy him as a holding player anyway, not enough passing ability for an attacking team like United.
When it comes time to replace Carrick the player will be technically brilliant as well as defensively good. Javier Martinez, maybe Yann M'Villa or someone like that … but Carrick is really only hitting his prime now, last season was his very best imo. Maybe even Nuri Sahin … could come in on a loan to buy to provide cover, that's the kind of player United want in midfield … not a converted centre back.
I have seen enough of Rodwell to know that he is not what United need. Yes, he has some talent, but than there's English talent and than there is world class talent. United can't compete with Barcelona or Real Madrid without signing a World Class Mid-Field Player. United can't compete with Man City without having a world class Mid-Field Player.
You tried to sign him but he is another that has fobbed you off.
Rodwell would have been an expensive luxury for United, we already have enough midfielders, come to that we have enough forwards, what we need is LB and RB that can play week in week out.
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