The prodigal son stays

All smiles between manager and player but is there something more?

It was a crazy few days of negotiating, bargaining, protests, allegations and emotions and Wayne Rooney ended it all up with a massive u-turn about. He signed the 5 year deal in the end, in what apppears to be a possible 250k a week for wages. Although it is an outcome that many United fans wanted, it still leaves a sour aftertaste in that Wayne has literally held the club to ransom so that he can get his way. It'll still remain a mystery on what had actually transpired behind. Is it the massive improvement in pay pocket or Fergie's words that had convinced him? Rumour has it that the result of this saga has enabled Fergie to have a 100 million transfer kitty lined up for him to raid some major stars, an assurance from the Glazers to quell the growing dissent in Old Trafford which seems to be spreading to the changing room via Wayne. Perhaps Fergie and Wayne should run for the best actor lead in Oscars or Emmy Awards for the high-temperature drama that is going around. Some say that wily old Fergie has won the battle on this by showing who's boss ultimately when it comes to player showdowns. But of more importance is whether Rooney's other fellow teammates like Evra and Vidic is going to continue to trust him. Not to mention, Rooney is going to need now a massive performance improvement in order to win back Old Trafford, who now has a negative impression over the whole episode.

Meanwhile, United did well against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium with a long-awaited away victory at 2-1. Hernandez had a fantastic evening with a brace, thanks to his predatory instincts in front of the goal. Chicarito is fast becoming a fan favourite, with the away crowd chanting his name loudly for all to hear in the staidum.