Champions League: The Manchester United fans who last night serenaded Wayne Rooney's remarkable debut, tongues firmly in cheeks, with chants of "What a waste of money" missed the point in the name of parochial point-scoring.
"Are you watching, Merseyside?" they asked as his first, second and third goals in a United shirt entered the history books. Beyond Merseyside, Rooney's hat-trick on debut will have been greeted with astonishment and trepidation.
Alex Ferguson's eve-of-match protestations it might have been fairer for Rooney to savour his first United appearance as a substitute were fooling nobody. They had eagerly awaited a first glimpse of the prodigy who has, effectively, accounted for the club's transfer budget for this season - and the first half of next.
Early impressions were favourable: a neat understanding with Ruud van Nistelrooy, impressive control, fantastically judged and timed runs and strength and power in abundance. To that list can be added a feel for the occasion. Just as he did in his fledgling days with Everton and as he has done for England, Rooney seized the day, illustrating why Ferguson and, before him, Everton's David Moyes had spoken about the youngster's maturity.
Off the field, the jury is out on Rooney's ability to handle the burden of being a £27 million teenage footballer from an inner-city council estate. On it, there is no doubt he has the physical and mental wherewithal to thrive.
Early on he played a nice one-two with David Bellion, coped with two crunching tackles from Fabio Luciano and, after collecting a Kleberson pass, proved such an imposing object to tackle that Deniz Baris injured himself in so doing.
After 17 minutes, he scored his first goal in United colours, a finish that was nowhere near as routine as he made it appear from a superb pass that, similarly, van Nistelrooy made appear ludicrously easy.
After 28 minutes the finish was even better, the goal of a more individual nature, as he used his power and wit to create half a yard and the necessary space from where he could send in an unstoppable 20-yard shot.
The 54th minute saw Luciano penalised for a push on van Nistelrooy and Rooney was hovering ominously over the dead ball just outside the area. Fenerbahce knew what was coming, a capacity crowd knew what was coming and Rooney, scoring right-footed, most certainly knew what was coming.
On the evidence of his first hour as a United player, it was difficult to imagine any team ever containing Wayne Rooney.
Guardian Service
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