Wayne's world

Great Oak Farm, in Mag Lane, Lymm, does not resonate as an important address in football, but probably should.  Three companies are registered there - one, Stoneygate 48, looks after Wayne Rooney's image rights. He is the sole shareholder. Another, Triple S Sports and Entertainment Ltd, director Paul Stretford, is Stoneygate's agent. A third, Speed 9849, has three directors, Coleen Mary McLoughlin, her mother Colette, and Paul Stretford. 

For Wayne's sake, let's hope this lot have got their strategy right. Is Paul Stretford, former vacuum cleaner salesman with an uncomfortable past, now the right man to guide this needy couple ?

A break with Man United, and its controlling force Sir Alex Ferguson may be the right thing to do.  Sir Alex likes to pair players with agents and investment advisers, and has failed to do that with Rooney. He apparently tries to limit each player to five sponsors (is that restraint of trade ?). He clearly believes that "resting" is a way to discipline sporting professionals.  Wayne believes in playing your way out of bad patches, and would argue that reserve games on dodgy pitches with aggressive visitors are an unnecessary risk to his future earnings. Wayne and Sir Alex have had arguments about where and how he should play - and there's no longer a strong team captain to broker a deal before or during matches.

Wayne may be daft off the pitch, with grannies, gambling and girls, but he studies the game. He probably reckons he's got four years left in the top flight - maybe two more if he can find teams prepared to play him as a goal hanger, a la Jimmy Greaves.  The physical energy required of sole strikers these days is extraordinary. In retirement, he's not going to be a manager, footballer commentator, pundit or style icon.  He could open supermarkets, but it's not going to be big money.  Coleen might last longer.  But it makes sense to maximise their earnings now. My guess is that the strategy is to complete a season at Manchester United, buy out the contract, and then take both "transfer fee" and wages from a new employer on a minimum three year deal. The only option that makes sense for Fergie is to take it lying down.