SOCCER ANGLES:Jens Lehmann puts retirement on hold to return to a fragile Arsenal squad

IT IS surely as much a sign of desperation as it is of the goodwill and generosity that people inevitably feel when one of their own rises to the forefront of global talent, but the sincere gratitude accorded Wayne Rooney on Tuesday night for his performance against Marseilles in the Champions League was striking. It reminded you of what Rooney came to mean in England.

Around this time last year the striker was being hailed as the man who could lead England confidently to the World Cup in South Africa, who might even take them all the way to the trophy itself.

He was, after all, enjoying a masterful season at Manchester United. By this weekend he had already scored 32 goals for club and country and was about to make that 34 by scoring the opener in a 2-1 win over Liverpool, then doing the same in Munich against Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. Wayne’s world was a place to be.

That early goal in Munich gave United a platform for the second leg, in which they were 3-0 up in 41 minutes.

But then Ivica Olic pulled one back and by the time Arjen Robben scored what proved to be the decisive goal, Rooney was off the pitch injured, replaced by John O’Shea, and we would learn, questioning United’s ambition.

An ankle had been damaged in Munich in the first leg. Immediately – doubtless to the great irritation of Alex Ferguson – England panicked about the World Cup.

Rooney did come back for the second leg against Bayern but the ankle knock was taking a toll. He then missed the home league defeat to Chelsea that ultimately decided the title. There would be three more league appearances – all victories – but concern was established.

It was hoped that as he collected the Footballer of the Year trophy, Rooney would have enough time on his side before South Africa to justify himself once he got there.

But it didn’t work out like that. Rooney was visibly narky in the pre-tournament friendly against Mexico at Wembley and then slumped once the World Cup started. He was substituted against Slovenia and was on the pitch in the 4-1 humiliation by Germany.

That was about the best that could be said of any England player that day.

We know now some of the background. Not only did Rooney have ankle issues, off the pitch he was behaving with casual regard for his body, his profession and his marriage. He looked invulnerable – and he likes that look, clearly – but we and he discovered he is not.

It took a while for that notion to sink in, if it has, and the arrogance that saw Rooney hold United to ransom in the autumn may never shrivel. To use a Tiger Woods word, there was a whiff of “entitlement” about the arm smashed into Wigan’s James McCarthy – how dare a Wigan player try to block Rooney’s path.

We do not know what this week’s outbreak of praise could spark either. But there was at best a lack of awareness in Rooney’s robust statement after Marseilles about his commitment to United, as if it had never been in question.

Reacting to a News of the World story last Sunday which said Rooney and Ferguson were experiencing fresh difficulties, Rooney, 25, replied: “I’ve never seen such rubbish in my life. I’ll be here until I’m in my 30s though, that’s for sure.

“My relationship with Sir Alex has no problems whatsoever. I’m enjoying my football here and if I was going to leave in the summer, I wouldn’t have signed a new contract when I did. I signed it and I intend to see it through to the end.”

Pudding, proof, and all that.

But in purely football terms there is something galvanising for United – and England – in seeing Rooney in March with a spring in his step.

There was the goal of the season against Manchester City five weeks ago to consider, but it was the precision of the pass on Tuesday that led to Javier Hernandez’s opener that had people talking.

Not only was Rooney’s pass accurate, the dynamism of old was spotted in the way Rooney then scarpered into the French side’s area.

There was no Rooney goal on the night but he has six in his last nine United starts. Not many are talking about Dimitar Berbatov.

Given United’s defensive injury problems, this is a welcome return to something like the former Rooney, though as heartening for United as this is, forgive the neutrals who want to wait a while before this suggestion of a return is confirmed over a longer period. Let us be honest, Marseilles are no Barcelona.

Last season Rooney had given interviews about how he felt he was on the verge of moving from being a very good player to being a great one. It didn’t happen, but he thinks now of himself as fresh again.

Maybe he can haul United to a treble or a double but it must be done, not just talked about. The promising news for him and United is that March 2011 may be the beginning of something, unlike March 2010.