Barton is right to a certain degree. Rooney 10 years was one of the most fearless players I had ever seen, it was like watching the football equivalent of a young Mike Tyson. He was like the last of the street footballers and he was hard as nails. On his day he was unplayable eg his Man Utd debut v Fenerbache when he scored a hattrick!
Now he has mellowed down, can conduct an interview in reasonable English and has come away from his 'working class' roots he is not the same guy let alone same player.
He used to be one of my most hated players and now I'm ambivalent to him which says it all.
Still quality but that energy, aggression and power he once had has very much been diminished.
