The suitors lining up to entice disillusioned Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney away from Old Trafford are said to include Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid … and Hyundai A-League outfit Perth Glory.
If Liverpool legend and Glory marquee player Robbie Fowler is to be believed, Rooney is considering a move to the world’s most isolated capital city to kick-start a career in freefall.
Rooney stunned United boss Sir Alex Ferguson this week by confirming rumours he wants out of the Red Devils.
The celebrated manager will keel over if his star player swaps the ‘Field of Dreams’ for Perth’s 20,000-seat nib Stadium.
But Fowler, keeping a straight face, insists he talked to Rooney during a recent trip back to the UK and sold the England star on the benefits of a move to Perth.
“Everyone knows I went home (and) it’s probably only just come out lately about Wayne Rooney, but being in the football know, I found out a couple of weeks ago (that he wanted to leave Manchester United),” Fowler said in a in-house interview for the Glory’s website.
“I just had to come home and see if he’d be interested in coming to Perth.”
“The signs were good. I was really pleased with the chat we had and we’ll see where it takes us.”
“I sold it to him and told him what a lovely place it is.”
“I told him what I think about the city and he knows obviously all about a lot of the players.
“He’s umming and ahhing at the minute, but it’s looking good.”
“He’s very, very interested so watch this space.”
If Rooney happens to lob on their doorstep, Perth Glory insist Fowler will still be there to greet him, although a club spokesperson was adamant in saying no official approach has been made for Rooney so far.
But deputy chairman Lui Giuliani said the idea wasn’t as laughable as some may think.
“Well if and it’s a big ‘If’, Wayne Rooney was out of contract, and Robbie Fowler could pull some strings we would love to have him at Perth Glory even as a guest,” Giuliani said in a media release on Thursday afternoon.
“If I said four years ago that Robbie Fowler would be playing for Perth Glory, I-m sure many people would have had a laugh.”
Glory’s director of football David Mitchell also confirmed Fowler would see out his contract despite rumours of a rift between the player and new coach Ian Ferguson.
Fowler will line-up against cellar dwellers Sydney FC at nib Stadium on Sunday.
