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Manchester Utd: Wayne Rooney is not world class - Joey Barton

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments1046

Barton: English stars not world class

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney lacks the mentality to become a "world-class" player, says Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton.

Rooney, 28, recently signed a new contract that puts him among the highest-paid players in football.

But Barton - an admirer of Rooney - said his mental approach leaves him behind the world's best on the pitch.

"Look at his approach and mentality compared to Cristiano Ronaldo's. Polar opposites," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

The 31-year-old added: "Rooney potentially, could have been world class. But why is Ronaldo a Ballon d'Orexternal-link winner and Rooney isn't?

"Players who have worked with both say the level of discipline Ronaldo has is the reason he is the best player in the world."

Barton stressed that although he considers Rooney to be "the epitome of a class Englishman", he feels players such as Real Madrid forward Ronaldo are more deserving of the 'world class' label.

"When you see Rooney smoking cigarettes," Barton continued, "is he doing everything he can to be the best player in the world? The gulf is getting wider but if it was on talent alone, Rooney is a better player than him."

Since making his senior debut for Everton at the age of 16 in August 2002, Rooney has gone on to win five Premier League titles, two League Cups, three FA Community Shields and the Champions League and Fifa World Club Cup once with United, who he joined for £25.6m in 2004.

But Barton said he believes Rooney falling short of his potential was part of a wider problem within English football, adding that Roy Hodgson's England side have "no chance at the World Cup," and that "no-one believes we can win it - the manager, the media, the players."

The former Manchester City and Newcastle player also added that he "would have sacked Greg Dyke on the spot" for a cut-throat gesture the FA chairman made as England were placed in Group D alongside Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica during the draw in Brazil on 6 December.

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1046 comments

  • Comment posted by User0671863534, at 12:32 3 Apr 2014

    I think Rooney is on par with Ronaldo right now, he even has the same BMI........Although Ronaldo hasn't played much first class football for a while, and Brazil have never been able to quite replace him in my opinion.

  • Comment posted by User0687621614, at 12:01 3 Apr 2014

    Why is the BBC headlining the views of a mediocre player who's only claim to fame is being a thug?

  • Comment posted by User0459526016, at 11:52 3 Apr 2014

    He's not wrong.

    Rooney is an excellent player, but he's nowhere near the likes of Ronaldo, Messi, Ibra, Suarez or any other world class players.

  • Comment posted by User0671863534, at 12:06 3 Apr 2014

    Of course Ronaldo has developed quicker.....But to be fair, he hasn't starred in 3 blockbuster movies alongside a talking donkey?

  • Comment posted by davidindevon, at 12:08 3 Apr 2014

    Contrary to common belief Joey Barton is an intelligent fellow who writes a lot of sensible and thought provoking articles. This is one such example. His assessment of Rooney is spot on. When Rooney moved from EFC to Manu he was hailed as the future of English football. Ask yourselves. Just what has he done for England since then? Monetary gain has been his only interest and success. A wastrel.

  • Comment posted by User0085363958, at 12:02 3 Apr 2014

    Pot calling the kettle black, but I have to agree with him.
    Rooney would not make a world 11 on a regular basis so should not be classed as world class.

  • Comment posted by BaggiosPonytail, at 12:08 3 Apr 2014

    Joey Barton. Part time footballer, full time philosopher. Legend in his own mind. No idea why he gets as much coverage as he does.

    For what it's worth he is probably correct. Rooney hasn't developed as a player. It's still all about instinct and chasing the ball around regardless of whether that is best for his team.

  • Comment posted by User0671863534, at 12:17 3 Apr 2014

    Picking on Rooney is awful, and anyone taking cheap shots at him should be ashamed!

    I for one felt very sorry for him after watching that documentary about his life, where the villagers chased him with pitch forks and torches.

  • Comment posted by errornose, at 12:17 3 Apr 2014

    England top goalscorers (selected):
    1. Bobby Charlton (49)
    2. Gary Lineker (48)
    ..
    5. Wayne Rooney (38)
    ..
    ..
    59,000,000 Me (0)
    59,000,001 My Mum (0)
    ..
    ..
    65,000,000 Joey Barton (0)

  • Comment posted by aart, at 11:59 3 Apr 2014

    Rooney world class. Don't make me laugh. I watched him again against Bayern Munich and his impact was minimal and his technique very average. He has also became very laboured in his movement.Does not look very fit.

  • Comment posted by Vestan_Pance, at 12:15 3 Apr 2014

    Rooney is a good player and on his day can be a great player. But he is not a true world class player who would walk into the starting 11 of any club side. There is not a current England player who could be described as world class.
    Barton is correct.

  • Comment posted by User0424414496, at 12:11 3 Apr 2014

    Not a great Joey fan (despite being a QPR fan) but he is right on this one. Wayne is good, but not great. The hype over him is silly. He is overweight and can be wound up easily (both by the opposition and himself). Still, the £300K a week will mean a number of grannies forming an orderly queue!

  • Comment posted by User0055953142, at 12:45 3 Apr 2014

    My mum thinks Russell Crowe is fit.

    She's in this afternoon if you want to interview her, and you can have it on your Entertainment section by 5.

  • Comment posted by ajt2299, at 13:26 3 Apr 2014

    quite why we needed someone like joey barton to confirm what everyone already is beyond me...rooney has shown glimpses that he could lift his game to that world class level, but too often he lumbers around, his touch is heavy and can easily look disinterested. Incidentally, 300k a week for his "performances" is actually staggeringly offensive!

  • Comment posted by User0949094655, at 12:16 3 Apr 2014

    Barton does say & do idiotic things ....but he is spot on this time

    Wayne Rooney does lack the mentality to become "world-class"

    The last 3 international tournaments for a start

    The pattern is = little possession =.frustration = anger...= either a bad tackle... or as in South Africa ..blaming England fans for his poor displays.

    He does not have the mentality to compete at the highest level.

  • Comment posted by Jaggy Man, at 11:58 3 Apr 2014

    Thankyou BBC, I've always wanted to know the opinion of an average Championship footballer when it comes to what it takes to make a world class player. In other news if you speak English but put on a French accent then it is much easier for French people to understand.....

  • Comment posted by D1679628963736, at 13:12 3 Apr 2014

    Oh yes.. lets insult our main striker few months before the world cup.

    Why O why would BBC give this attention seeker a platform to air his
    views. Isn't twitter updates every 2 minutes enough?.

  • Comment posted by daniel webb, at 11:58 3 Apr 2014

    Agree. Never sure why our press always say he is.

    The "golden generation" where we had "5 - 7 world class" players like Rooney, Lampard, Becks. None would have EVER got in the world best 22
    Rooney isn't better than: Suarez, Ronaldo, Messi obviously. Not better than Ibrahimovic, Falcao, Aguero, Neymar. Same ball park as Cavani, Tevez and Balotelli, Van Persie
    So maybe squeaks into top 10?

  • Comment posted by User0671863534, at 13:50 3 Apr 2014

    I would love to see the line ups of "World 11's" that people are saying they would put Rooney in, I reckon I could laugh all day?

    So who would they leave out up front...Suarez, Aguero, Messi, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo, Falcoa, Costa, Cavanni?

    I'll bet you've got a space for Cleverley and Wellbeck as well?

  • Comment posted by WunderfulBBC, at 12:08 3 Apr 2014

    Rooney has never been anywhere near World Class.

    Had he been, huge interest would have been shown from the elite foreign clubs, but only Chelski appeared to have any desire to buy him - that says it all.

    Sadly, among UK players, he is one of the best, which only illustrates how poor we are at developing World Class players.

    Having said all that, he is MUFC's best player and should be captain

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