Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has implied that Wayne Rooney’s agent, Paul Stretford, and not the player, had been responsible for last week’s events at Old Trafford.
Ferguson appeared to suggest that Stretford had made life “difficult” in the talks that eventually led to Rooney eventually signing a new five-year contract with the club.
“It is always tough at United,” Ferguson said. “There are always issues to deal with. When your top players come towards the end of their contracts you have to do something to get them a new one. They are all the same.
“You have to deal with agents of this world today, which is difficult. The players are no problem. There is no problem with players. Some agents are difficult.”
A spokesman for Stretford’s company, Triple S Sports and Entertainment Group Ltd, declined to respond to Ferguson’s remarks.
Ferguson was speaking after United beat Stoke City 2-1 courtesy of two Javier Hernández goals for a first Premier League away win of the season.
The United manager urged his players to use the result as a launch pad in their pursuit of Premier League leaders Chelsea.
“Hopefully we can now kick on,” he said. “We have some important games between now and Christmas time and we have to make our mark in the league now.”
United praised Hernandez for ensuring that United secured al three points after Tuncay Sanli had equalised late on.
“When their goal went in you start to say to yourself, ‘Is it going to be one of those seasons?’ [But] Chicharito came up with the winner. He knows where the goal lies.
“The supporters’ reaction was fantastic to the goal and our players’ reaction was fantastic. It is the kind of goal Manchester United score over the years; a late goal met by incredible enthusiasm by the supporters. They knew that it was an important one.”
