Rooney: Wayne's World [Paperback]

Frank Worrall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2006

Wayne Rooney is undoubtedly the most talked-about teenager in Britain, due to his undeniable soccer skills, record transfer fees, and controversial off-the-field activities. The debate has continued to rage over Rooney since he became the world's most expensive teenager after joining Manchester United in September 2004. So is Rooney the new Pele, or heading for early burnout like George Best and Paul Gascoigne? This book tells the full, explosive story of Wayne Rooney's rise to fame. It delves beneath the headlines and the scandal to build a portrait of Rooney's crazy life as a young soccer star.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frank Worrall is a journalist who writes regularly for the Sunday Times, The Sun and FourFourTwo magazine. He has previously worked for the Mail on Sunday, the News of the World, The Times, NME and Melody Maker. He is also the author of the 2006 best-selling biography, Roy Keane: Red Man Walking.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Mainstream Publishing (September 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845961447
• ISBN-13: 978-1845961442
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,378,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Press review from The Sunday Times, London, October 10, 2005

By 

Danny D (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wayne Rooney: Simply Red (Paperback)

From The Sunday Times - Book of the Week, October 9 2005

'FRANK WORRALL'S record of Wayne Rooney's first season at Old Trafford is a thoughtful, well-written account. The Scouser seems to have been around forever but was just 18 when he made his mark for England at Euro 2004, scoring four goals before injury against Portugal brought an end to his (and England's tournament), but Rooneymania was off and running. Worrall applies some perspective, expressing the view that well though Rooney had played, he probably wasn't even the best player at Euro 2004. But his life changed forever. The story is played out against the backdrop of Malcolm Glazer's takeover of Manchester United, but that is of little concern to the player. After deciding to leave his beloved Everton, he and girlfriend Coleen headed up the East Lancs Road for Old Trafford, with Sir Alex Ferguson blowing £27m on the young maestro. Rooney loves the big occasion and his United debut came in a Champions League match against Fenerbahce. United won 6-2, Rooney scored a hat-trick. Any doubts about whether Ferguson had done the right thing were dispelled in an instant. He produced the goods again when United brought Arsenal's unbeaten run to an end. The Gunners came to Old Trafford looking for a 50th game without defeat, but Rooney played out of his skin as United won 2-0. As the season unfolded, a pattern emerged. Rooney was seldom able to put two storming games together. But, as we are reminded, he was returning from injury and still learning his craft. On top of that, many of his teammates were struggling with form and fitness. The author is a dyed-in-the-red-wool United fan, so it is interesting to note that he takes issue with some of Rooney's excesses on the field, expressing astonishment that Ferguson refused to condemn the player when he should have been sent off against Bolton last season. Worrall also defends Coleen's spending habits - her shopping sprees became front-page news after the move to Manchester - as the actions of a girl who, for the first time in her life, has access to serious money. If she and Wayne were happy, whose business was it anyway? Simply Red reminds us of how far Rooney has already come. This story will run and run.

Review by Derek Clements, The Sunday Times.