Of course it is but physical conditioning is not just the ability to run a lot. It is the ability of your muscles to work when fatigued, its your recovery ability and much more. Why have sports that are not traditionally physically demanding suddenly take a leap in performance when the top players get fitter and stronger. A player whos game depends on pace and power isn't going to last as long as one based on skill and technique. Will Robben be a top player when his pace is gone? Will Suarez be such a good striker when his pace is gone?
He has got a new contract because he is a large part of the United brand and partly I believe because Moyes was petrified of losing him under his watch.
Thats a ridiculous thing to say. He was hugely talented and although he never reached the heights we expected he was fantastic for nearly 10 years. He never reached the heights we thought he would but that is because we expected him to be one of the top few players in the world.
There is very little difference between Rooney and the majority of other players in terms of how hard they work. In terms of joints getting worse, training every day is just as damaging as playing a league game. He wouldn't be in any better condition if he'd not been played till he was 18.
It's embarrassing frankly, because he played 1-2 years earlier than a lot of other players he aged 7 years worse in football years, 5 years if you want to pretend he only got **** this season. Older footballers were FAR more effective when they retired than Rooney is now. Many are better than Rooney now closer to 40 than 35. People are looking to make excuses for how bad Rooney is, it's not that he's not very talented, or that he's not hugely professional for an athlete in terms of conditioning, it's that he's basically retirement age
Its a combination of things but peoples bodies age at different rates. Something as simple as the way you run or the subtle differences in a joint can have huge implications on the longevity of an athlete.
Part of his problem is that he is a victim of peoples expectations. "Hes such a good player he can play in midfield or attack". He has been moved all over the place and has been part of average Man Utd teams for the past 5 or more years. If he was playing for a top team as an out and out striker he would still be scoring a lot of goals. I can't think of many strikers bar the absolute very best ones that would be flourishing in the recent United teams and thats only because they are like a young Rooney, pacey, direct and bullish.
Martial is having a brilliant season and his goal return isn't exactly great statistically is it.
Put it this way, how many players at Rooneys age are lighting up their league with such a poor team around them or being asked to play as part of a obviously dire and crap set of tactics. Why did Ronaldinho disappear? Ronaldo? Were neither of them that good or did they just drop off a cliff for one reason or another.
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