International Federation Ballon d'Or

Every time the national team matches ended, they were practically disaster scenes.

It was just like the eighth round of the Premier League. Of the ten matches, five of the seven played on the first day had ended in draws.

My God, it was enough to make people rub their eyes in disbelief.

Manchester United had drawn 2–2 away to West Bromwich. Erl and Nani had scored in succession during the first half-hour, but their opponents had then scored twice to level the match and had even come close to completing the comeback.

Ferguson had hurriedly sent on Rooney and Scholes, but the result still left much to be desired. Rooney had been sluggish throughout the match.

It was obvious that Fatty Rooney was still at odds with Manchester United over the contract renewal.

There was no way to keep something like that secret, because Fatty Rooney's agent had been spreading explosive news everywhere.

At the post-match press conference, Ferguson confirmed that Fatty Rooney had indeed submitted a transfer request. It had left him both shocked and deeply disappointed.

"In March this year, I spoke with Rooney. He said he wanted to stay and hoped to sign a lifetime contract with the club. He also said that Manchester United was the best club in the world. But now, his agent says that he won't sign a new contract and wants to leave on a transfer."

When Ferguson said those words, he looked exactly like a resentful woman in a secluded chamber who had been abandoned by the man she loved deeply.

When you were satisfying him, he praised you as the best in the world. Now that you can't satisfy him, he suddenly says he wants to leave!

Fatty Rooney, are you even a man?

Manchester United were not