Mikel could learn a thing or two from Wayne Rooney.

[Cellular]

D.C. United’s Wayne Rooney is loving his ‘chilled out’ lifestyle in D.C.

Wayne Rooney celebrates a goal against the Portland Timbers in August. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
By Scott Allen October 24 at 12:17 PM

D.C. United was mired in last place in the Eastern Conference when Wayne Rooney made his debut for the club July 14. Since then, D.C. has been MLS’s hottest team, with a 12-4-3 record that has propelled it to a playoff berth. Rooney, who has 12 goals and seven assists in 19 appearances, is the primary reason.

“Like a human defibrillator, Rooney has jolted the locker room with confidence and tenacity,” Roger Bennett, co-host of “Men in Blazers” on NBC Sports, wrote of the English star last week. “It’s a third act worthy of a mythic hero, and the joy — and humility — Rooney has shown along the way is a reminder that behind the scores and stats, the real thrill of watching sports is the human story of it all.”

Rooney recently joined Bennett for a “Men in Blazers” television special that aired Monday. During their 30-minute chat, Rooney, who turned 33 on Wednesday, reflected on his first summer in D.C. and his surprising decision to join United after playing 16 years in the English Premier League.


“There’s obviously more money in other countries, which I could have made, but it was a decision purely based on football first of all, but also on where would be best to move with my family,” said Rooney, whose annualized base salary with United is $2.7 million.

[Fallen star Wayne Rooney saved his soccer career -- and D.C.'s team along with it]

Asked about his initial impressions of his new club following his first training session with United, Rooney recalled the sweltering heat and thinking, “What am I doing?” Rooney made a concerted effort to fit in with his new teammates, turning down the team’s offer to allow him to travel business-class and have his own room on the road.

“If you’re going to be part of the team, you have to be part of the team, all in, and do the same things,” Rooney said. “I don’t want special treatment. I want to be treated the same as the players. I’m part of this team. It’s not rocket science. If you come and form relationships with players, and speak to them, I know a lot of players who come here, big players in other countries, and they have tended to form [those] relationships, or to buy into what the team is doing. I think it’s important. You do that, you can have a big impact on the team.”


Rooney has more Twitter followers than all of D.C.'s other sports stars combined, but unlike back home in England, he said he can go places in D.C. with his wife and four sons without worrying about being hounded by paparazzi.

“Just to go out with my children here is a lot different than going out with them back home,” Rooney said. “You can do it back home, but it’s a bit more planned. . . . At home, at times you’re looking over your shoulder, you’re wondering who’s watching you, who’s filming you. Here it’s a little bit more chilled out. It’s actually strange, it’s actually normal stuff which people do every day in their lives, which I’ve actually missed out on a bit. It’s actually great to be able to do the normal things.”

Rooney spends a fair amount of his free time on weekends watching the Premier League, in which he won five titles with Manchester United.

“Especially when we play on a Saturday evening or Sunday evening, you wake up and you’ve got literally three [Premier League] games to watch before you go and play your game,” he said. “So you can just chill out all day, watch the games and relax. I think if you’ve got regrets about leaving the league then you might find it difficult. The same with England, watching the World Cup, if you have regret, you might find it difficult to watch them play in the tournament. But I’m a person once I make a decision, I stick by it and I don’t have any regrets.”

The five-hour time difference between D.C. and England is great for Rooney’s soccer-watching habits, but it’s put a damper on one of his other favorite pastimes.

“It’s difficult for me to play FIFA with my friends at the minute,” Rooney said when asked what he misses most about England. “We used to play back home when my kids were in bed. My friends would finish work and we would play about nine o’clock in the evening. Nine o’clock in the evening is four o’clock here and it’s right in the middle of the kids finishing school, and I need to try and find a slot when I can play."

For now, Rooney will have to settle for putting up video game numbers for suddenly unstoppable D.C. United.

Check out Bennett’s full interview with Rooney

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2 ... 8e82557a49

[Bigpokey24]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

[niyi]

Not sure how playing in the MLS is any better than China

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Did Mikel ask for advice?

[wale1974]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

Tell him Fanboy

[wale1974]

Not sure how playing in the MLS is any better than China

Take those 3 foreign players out of an Chinese leagues teams and watch any MLS team beat dem black and blue.

[Cellular]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

There's a lot to learn from the article. Thinking about life after retirement. Where to raise your kids. How to ingratiate oneself with one's teammates. Leading by example... etc.

[metalalloy]

“There’s obviously more money in other countries, which I could have made, but it was a decision purely based on football first of all, but also on where would be best to move with my family,” said Rooney, whose annualized base salary with United is $2.7 million.

Its easy to do that when Rooney has earned as much as he has. Mikel is not similarly situated. Also, Mikel has not moved his family to china and is younger than Rooney. Is there any indication that mikel did not/has not fit in well with his Tianjin teammates?

[Rawlings]

Rooney is an Oyibo. His prospects for decent salary/employment after playing is pretty high
Mikel has to get all e can get NOW

[Goldleaf]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

There's a lot to learn from the article. Thinking about life after retirement. Where to raise your kids. How to ingratiate oneself with one's teammates. Leading by example... etc.

Wayne Rooney grew up in Liverpool and he is a scouser. Folks from that area are usually working class with no chip on their shoulder. If that article said anything about Rooney being arrogant or choosing the high life in comparison to his mates, it will be fake. Liverpool folks are not like that. They are down to earth.

[pajimoh]

In US, Police will not shoot Rooney first and ask questions later. Let Mikel be

[jette1]

“There’s obviously more money in other countries, which I could have made, but it was a decision purely based on football first of all, but also on where would be best to move with my family,” said Rooney, whose annualized base salary with United is $2.7 million.

Its easy to do that when Rooney has earned as much as he has. Mikel is not similarly situated. Also, Mikel has not moved his family to china and is younger than Rooney. Is there any indication that mikel did not/has not fit in well with his Tianjin teammates?

whem mikel gets that old and worn then might consider MLS (My Last Soccer) aka retirement league

[Bigpokey24]

In US, Police will not shoot Rooney first and ask questions later. Let Mikel be

[Bigpokey24]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

There's a lot to learn from the article. Thinking about life after retirement. Where to raise your kids. How to ingratiate oneself with one's teammates. Leading by example... etc.

em, one nah African, the other nah Red coat

[ohenhen1]

How much is Mikel making in China?

How much is Rooney making in the MLS?

[green4life]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

There's a lot to learn from the article. Thinking about life after retirement. Where to raise your kids. How to ingratiate oneself with one's teammates. Leading by example... etc.

Not Leading by example? Not Mixing up with his teammates? Sure you’re talking about Mikel? That said, the difference is Mikel is in the cash out phase while Rooney is in the settling down phase. When Mikel looks to wind down his career he may consider mls or other similar family friendly options

[Odas]

Rooney is an Oyibo. His prospects for decent salary/employment after playing is pretty high
Mikel has to get all e can get NOW

Very well said and agree with you - Professor Rawlings However, watch people come and attack you for this simple truth, arguing unnecessarily

[Odas]

In US, Police will not shoot Rooney first and ask questions later. Let Mikel be

... very true!

[kolinzo]

Mikel's move to China is the right move. He can't be pedestrian in MLS. MLS is one tough league.

[pajimoh]

Mikel's move to China is the right move. He can't be pedestrian in MLS. MLS is one tough league.

YEP, TOUGHER THAN PLAYING IN THE EPL, WC AND AFCON. mssshhheeewww

[cchinukw]

Osaze, Essien, Askari and gbeboruns can all learn more that two from Rooney..smh.. did you just include Mikel's name to get some reaction or what.. fyi i didn't read the article

There's a lot to learn from the article. Thinking about life after retirement. Where to raise your kids. How to ingratiate oneself with one's teammates. Leading by example... etc.

So you don't think his being an English lad has anything to do with it?

You make the best lemonade of the lemon that life deals you.

China came knocking and Mikel went there.

In terms of life after soccer, I am not sure Mikel has a jot to learn from Wayne Rooney.

[Rawlings]

Rooney is an Oyibo. His prospects for decent salary/employment after playing is pretty high
Mikel has to get all e can get NOW

Very well said and agree with you - Professor Rawlings However, watch people come and attack you for this simple truth, arguing unnecessarily

Evangelist Odas,
some of your countrymen think Obi is Oyibo

[kolinzo]

Mikel's move to China is the right move. He can't be pedestrian in MLS. MLS is one tough league.

YEP, TOUGHER THAN PLAYING IN THE EPL, WC AND AFCON. mssshhheeewww

Let's be honest, mid table teams to lower table EPL teams will struggle in the MLS.

But the fact is MLS is way tougher than the backwater league called Chinese league.