I understand this perception but I think it really doesn't stand up. Rooney and his family had had an agent (Peter McIntosh ) for years and the fella considered himself a family friend . It was Rooney and the Rooneys that were speaking to Stretford behind his agents back (this isn't speculation it's fact and came out in court) , other people (known to me) were ringing Peter Mac and telling I'm what was going on and that the talks were taking place because the player and his family didn't think the previous agent was big enough to handle the inevitable moves to united who were interested. The agents ringing McIntosh weren't doing it to be nice they were doing it because they wanted him to bring Rooney to them as he family had their heart set on a move but the agent wouldn't believe his 'friends' would do it to him , he was wrong and was discarded missing out on a payday after having npbeen with the family for years. It wasn't Stretford telling Rooney to go to united ,it was the Rooneys speaking to Stretford because they wanted the united move. I'll never forget Rooney asked who is biggest influences were not even a year after going to United he said his family, ferguson and Stretford, the person that hurt the most was Colin harvey who had been coaching/helping/supporting the player for years. Rooney going may have saved the club financially , it may have been a 'brilliant' move for Rooney and made Stretford a fortune but the Rooneys knew what they were doing and nobody pushed them into the move they were the ones doing all the running.