Smash, bang, wallop — Wayne rolls back years

YOU will have seen the clip many times: the sprint followed by the challenge, the dribble and the inch-perfect diagonal ball. Watch it on loop and you still will not get bored. They said Wayne Rooney (right) was going to the United States for a holiday but it seems moving to Washington has helped him turn back time. The footage I woke up to on Monday reminded me of a 16-year-old force of nature, not a man whose best days have gone. Those who said Rooney was washed up when he left the Premier League this summer have written him off too soon. His performance against Orlando City was excellent and he followed up with more of the same when scoring twice against Portland Timbers. People will look at the opponents and be cynical but the thing about Major League Soccer is that all the teams are athletic and run hard. You can only play well if you are fit. Rooney would not have been able to do what he has done this week if he wasn’t physically firing on all cylinders. The spectacular assist against Orlando is how I remember him — smashing into a tackle, winning the ball and then doing something outrageous. He’s thriving being the main man again and DC United, who had a recent history of losing, are reaping the benefits. I wonder if any clubs in Europe will be thinking about taking him on a short-term deal in the winter, in the same way David Beckham and Robbie Keane had loans from LA Galaxy. I’m not sure it would be the right thing for him to do, as that would be a huge workload. Wayne is also entitled to enjoy a quieter life now. I had five years of living in a goldfish bowl when I played for Liverpool and England, so I cannot imagine what Wayne has had to experience. It’s just good to see him playing with a smile again. Long may it continue.