Nikefootball Australia

Rise above it

BLOG_AU — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:49:13 GMT

Sometimes, build-up threatens to overshadow the game.

The rookie manager challenging his former master. The once-beloved player returning to face his former fans. The first genuine Manchester-wide title tussle for years.

But amid a swirling cauldron of screaming fans, Man Utd proved the benefit of keeping cool and playing the game, not the occasion.

When all was done, the red half of Manchester walked off with their 61st Derby win.

Better than a Derby

BLOG_AU — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:04:30 GMT

Back and forth action featuring the precise passing of Arsenal and the muscled management of Manchester United. Fans got what they asked for in the first meeting of the season for two English powerhouses.

A 20-meter strike from Andrei Arshavin, Arsenal’s newest all star, finds the upper 90, powering through the keeper’s hand to start the scoring. A solid penalty from Wayne Rooney, Manchester’s now unquestioned --p-16892--, brought the match even. It was edge of your seat madness for 90 minutes.

The red devils took the lead with their second goal in a 5-minute span, which sealed the home victory for Rooney and crew, and left Arsenal forced to look forward. The rematch in London, exactly 5 months from now, will again put the players in the pressure cooker, right where the fans want them, with a much better idea of how the league table is shaking out. January 30th can’t come soon enough.

Wayne Rooney’s 100th Goal for Manchester United

BLOG_AU — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:39:16 GMT

Sometimes a team needs a saviour, but they always need a difference maker. This year as Manchester United deals with the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Spain and a heartbreaking early loss, Wayne Rooney is set to be both.

He told you before the season the difference for him this year is scoring more goals. Rooney began his tally early this season and continued his strong start this past weekend, scoring his 100th and 101st goals for Manchester United.

No longer the teen phenom, the century mark launches the hulking striker, still just 23, into the record books along side the all time top 20 goal scorers for his historic club. By the end of the season, we could be talking top 15. Rooney needs 21 more goals to reach that mark, and in a season where he is expecting to carry the load, that's a difference he very well could make.

Make The Difference

BLOG_AU — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:41:55 GMT

You could stop at enough.
Just another name on the teamsheet.
Happy just to turn up.

Or you could become their worst nightmare.

The one who turns a game in an instant.
Sees the pass no-one else sees.
Turns desperate defence into decisive attack.

Be the one that they worry about days before kick-off.
Who blurs the line between hate and respect.
Who can never be stopped,
Only feared.

Train for The Difference on Facebook

T-90 Ascente Testing – Man Utd

BLOG_AU — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:10:07 GMT

Date: 05.02.09
Location: Carrington
Weather conditions: Very cold and windy. Conditions ranged between cloudy, snowing and sunny. Temperature range 0-1C without wind chill. Well below freezing with wind chill. 0-20 mph winds throughout.
Pitch conditions: Good, short grass.
Players and staff: Full first team, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher, Wes Brown, Edwin Van der Sar, Ben Foster, Rafael da Silva, Tomasz Kuszczak.

Tester’s notes:

Freezing cold. And more snow. Balls topped off to 12.5psi.

Team session: 15-mins shots on goal from 20 yards. 8 vs. 2 one-touch keep-ball drill. Fast, one-touch session.

Shooting session: Players hammer the ball, Rooney hits hardest – like a sledgehammer: “Feels nice to strike. Especially when you strike it true.” More finishing drills. Shooting from 3 different spots. Players love shooting with it. All-around accuracy improvements.

Relentless We March

BLOG_AU — Mon, 18 May 2009 05:46:25 GMT

Always one more. One more point needed, one more result to nail, one more title earned in sweat. And then one more final to own, one more stage to dominate, one more cup to lift.

What's one more to a reigning champion? Everything.

Next Level: Behind the scenes

BLOG_AU — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:47:51 GMT

You've seen the TV ad as it followed the evolution of a non-league player into a European star. Now watch the banter flow behind the scenes as the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Wesley Sneijder give their advice on how to make next season your best.

The Manchester Three

Lukester2007 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:08:29 GMT

Blistering pace. No-look passing. Sledgehammer shooting. Imagine defending for ninety minutes against one of the best strikers on earth.

Now multiply that by three.

Welcome to the world of the defenders tasked with keeping Manchester United’s striking trio of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez at bay.

And if you thought a strikeforce made up of Portugese, Argentinian and British players would be hampered by communication problems, think again. The threesomes telepathic link up play produced well over seventy goals last season.

As Wayne Rooney explains, their different cultural backgrounds mean nothing on the pitch. When it comes to football, all three players speak exactly the same language.

The Director's Cut

Lukester2007 — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:50:16 GMT

The director has indicated there will be one minute of time added on.

Watch the Director's cut here. More players, more action, more wish-I was-that-guy. Recut, remixed and rewired by Guy Ritchie. Take it to the next level.

What Wayne Knows

Lukester2007 — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:19:43 GMT

On May 21, Wayne Rooney will be in Moscow gunning for club football's ultimate prize. If he is to bring the trophy back to Old Trafford, Rooney will need to put into practice everything he's learnt throughout his career. See what the man himself had to say about getting the edge in and around the box.

Wayne Rooney and T90

Lukester2007 — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:07:58 GMT

We’ve all seen Wayne Rooney put it where he wants it. Sit behind the goal when he strikes a ball in his new Nike T90 Laser IIs and it feels like you’re in the path of a guided missile.

Then again, sledgehammer shooting doesn’t mean a thing if you’re hitting the stands instead of the stanchion. When Rooney puts his foot through the ball, you can put away your measuring tape and track his distribution in blades of grass, not metres.

The secret? Take a look under the bonnet of his weapon of choice. Rooney has been part of the T90’s evolution since day one, dropping into Nike World HQ to test prototypes and tell the Nike development teams what makes his game tick.

What They Wear - Rooney

akqa — Sat, 03 May 2008 11:54:55 GMT

We’ve all seen Wayne Rooney put it where he wants it. Sit behind the goal when he strikes a ball in his new Nike T90 Laser IIs and it feels like you’re in the path of a guided missile.

Then again, sledgehammer shooting doesn’t mean a thing if you’re hitting the stands instead of the stanchion. When Rooney puts his foot through the ball, you can put away your measuring tape and track his distribution in blades of grass, not meters.

The secret? Take a look under the bonnet of his weapon of choice. Rooney has been part of the T90’s evolution since day one, dropping into Nike World HQ to test prototypes and tell the Nike development teams what makes his game tick.