DC ROONITED
» US chief hails ex-england captain as he headlines at stadium opening Wayne’s work ethic and help with academy kids exceeds expectations
WAYNE ROONEY’S American dream may only be on the verge of reality – but he has already blown new side DC United away.
The former England skipper was due to make his MLS debut last night as DC took on the Vancouver Whitecaps.
It was a momentous day for DC, who hosted their opening match at the brand new 20,000-seater Audi Field stadium with Rooney rolled out as the star attraction.
It has taken years of local wrangling to finally get the club a new home – they have previously used the cavernous RFK Stadium.
But with global superstar Rooney in the ranks hopes are high that manager Ben Olsen can drag his team away from the bottom and back into the mix for honours.
Rooney will be key and it has taken the former Everton and Manchester United ace only a few days to make his mark and seriously impress his new-found friends.
DC general manager Dave Kasper said: “Wayne has been terrific in the way he has settled straight in to working with us.
“He has exceeded expectations in that regard.
“He’s a very humble guy, but his work ethic is fantastic.
“He’s taken to helping out the younger players , he was training with the academy lads for the first week and he was great with them.
“I saw how he was interacting and, on the first day at the end of the training session, he picked up equipment and started hauling it off.
“I haven’t seen a lot of our current players do that and it showed me what kind of attitude a player like him has. “On and off the field, he’s been great.”
While Roo’s old pal Steven Gerrard (left) complained about the amount of travel when he was at LA Galaxy, 32-year-old Rooney is likely to enjoy more of the comforts of home for long periods. That is because 15 of DC’S next 20 games will be at their new stadium, as they were forced to play most matches away while it was being built. Gerrard and former England team-mate Frank Lampard had solid, if unspectacular, stints Stateside and a few eyebrows were raised when Scouser Rooney chose Washington DC – and MLS – once Everton cut him loose. Kasper admitted: “It’s not going to be a walk in the park for Wayne. “But I think that players, when they come into our league, are pleasantly surprised about that. The quality of play is at a high level and proves it’s a very good league. “Wayne still has a lot of passion to play, and that’s key. He loves the game and he’s excited about the project here.
“He’s certainly going to help our club move forward and make more history.
“We showed Wayne’s family around places in the city and suburbs where they could live and they were very excited.
“It’s a great lifestyle for him off the pitch.”
Rooney was tracked by the MLS club for 18 months, with negotiations said to be straightforward ahead of agreement on a three-and-a-half year deal.
Kasper sees Rooney as the man to ignite footballing passions in a city where NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB are kings.
DC United, whose co-owner Jason Levien also has a share in Swansea City, are one of the most successful teams in the league, although their last MLS Cup – the title equivalent – came way back in 2004.
Kasper said: “Six years ago, the owners said our goal is to build a stadium and, once we do that, we’re going to look to bring in world-class talent.
“This brand new, world-class arena is opening and now we’ve got a world-class player.
“So, mission accomplished.”
I haven’t seen a lot of our players pick up equipment and haul it off after training ... but Wayne does