Twelve months of pent-up frustration borne out of media criticism and a nosedive in form burst out of Wayne Rooney when the Manchester United striker delivered an expletive-laced outburst that shocked a global TV audience.
Rooney showed his best and worst in a 15-minute span at Upton Park on Saturday, scoring a hat-trick to earn United a crucial 4-2 win over West Ham, but then spewing vitriol into a television camera.
The incident demonstrated that the striker could be returning to form, but also showed a player under severe pressure after a year in which his personal life has come under intense scrutiny. His sensational form of last season dipped horribly, he came close to quitting United and there were lurid tabloid stories.
Rooney was expected to be sanctioned by England’s Football Association yesterday for swearing at a television camera while celebrating his third goal against West Ham.
Rooney issued an immediate apology, via a club statement, acknowledging his actions may have caused offense to “any parents or children that were watching.”
However, the British media still targeted Rooney the following day with back-page headlines ranging from “Rood Yob” to “Shame on Roo” and “Red Devil Turns Air Blue.”
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