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By Gary Lineker Last updated at 11:24 AM on 20th December 2009
What was your football highlight of 2009? Being a Leicester City fan, nothing could top promotion back to the Championship for me but elsewhere we had 12 months of tears and laughter, cheating, rants and the world's first £80million player.
It's a time to look back and reflect on the best and worst of what has happened. Stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres have graced 2009 but my player of the year is Wayne Rooney, who has grown from world-class talent to the talismanic leader of Manchester United and England.
United were always going to be weakened by Ronaldo going to Real Madrid but the way Rooney has thrived on the extra responsibility has been stunning. He has to be the chief goalscorer and shirt-seller at Old Trafford now. And so far he hasn't put a foot wrong.
Worst of 2009: Alberto Aquilani has failed to click for Liverpool
It struck me how special he is when I went to Stamford Bridge earlier this season to see Chelsea play United. There were outstanding players on both teams but even in that company Rooney stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Besides winning a third Premier League title in a row, he scored 29 times for club and country in 2009, a great record for a player who offers more than just goals.
If he delivers at the World Cup, we'll be talking about him as the greatest English player of all-time alongside Tom Finney and Bobby Charlton.
Talking of England, Fabio Capello gets my vote as manager of the year, for getting to the World Cup without any palpitations and putting us in a position where we could win it. That is a huge turnaround for a team that didn't qualify for Euro 2008.
Capello has brought discipline to the set-up and given the players confidence. It might be a surprise that Premier League stars can lack self-belief but that was the case with England pre-Capello.
More from Gary Lineker...
The highlight was the 5-1 win against Croatia in September. Significantly, Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard scored twice each - at one stage people didn't think they could play in the same team.
The year was mind-boggling for the money spent on transfers. Manchester City spent £135m, Real Madrid beat that on just two players, Ronaldo and Kaka.
The best business was done in January, however, when Tottenham paid £15m to Portsmouth for Jermain Defoe. Always a good striker, Defoe has become lethal in the last 12 months, improving tremendously in his penalty box awareness. The buy of the year in my view. He's worked with former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright and that shows he is prepared to listen and learn.
Defoe is at the stage now where I would love to see him play with Wayne as the No 1 strike partnership for England. My instinct says that they would be brilliant together. Over to you, Fabio.
Alberto Aquilani cost more than Defoe - but you wouldn't have realised it from his appearances this season. At a reported £20m, he's got to be the worst buy. He was meant to replace Alonso but spent the first three months injured and hasn't been pushed into the team by Rafa Benitez now that he is fit. It suggests the Liverpool boss is not confident about his ability to fit into the English game.
Benitez came up with the best soundbite of the year. But, although funny, it ended up rebounding on Liverpool. His line, 'I want to talk about facts', while ranting about Sir Alex Ferguson in January was great entertainment.
But the timing was strange - Liverpool were top of the table and Benitez didn't have to say anything at all. The next day his side were held by Stoke and never recovered the title initiative.
At least Liverpool had a reasonable season, Newcastle's relegation was a huge shock. The turmoil off the field finally cost them on it.
Best goal of the year came last weekend by Wigan's Maynor Figueroa against Stoke. To score from inside your own half is not easy – even Pele managed to miss from there. Figueroa's shot could not have been struck more sweetly.
Best celebration: Jimmy Bullard celebrates scoring with his Hull teammates
We have all the Premier League games on a Saturday coming in on a live feed at the BBC. One of the biggest reactions from those of us watching in 2009 wasn't for a goal but for Jimmy Bullard's goal celebration against Manchester City.
His impression of a finger-wagging Hull boss Phil Brown had everyone bursting out with spontaneous laughter and applause. As Alan Shearer said later, it wasn't just the best goal celebration of the year but maybe of all-time.
On the negative side, Thierry Henry became the biggest villain of the year when his handball sent France rather than the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup. The striker has built a fantastic reputation and it was shattered in a moment.
Best of 2009: Wayne Rooney (left) has shone for United
I just wish the culture in football would have allowed the referee to ask him outright if he'd handled. I am sure Henry would have been honest if put on the spot and all the bitter recriminations since could have been avoided.
Most sadly of all, we lost one of my greatest role models and inspirations in football this year when Sir Bobby Robson died in July after a long battle against cancer.
It was so fitting that his funeral service in Durham turned into the greatest football gathering of the year, where I was able to catch up with former Italia 90 team-mates Peter Beardsley and Paul Gascoigne and two of my former team-mates from Barcelona, Jose Alexanco and Txiki Begiristain.
Bobby's passing meant 2009 was a bittersweet year for football. Rooney could make 2010 really special.
The lifetime achievement award to Seve Ballesteros was one of the great highlights of the BBC Sports Personality show last Sunday. And things were even more emotional off camera.
After his great friend Jose Maria Olazabal had presented the trophy to Seve on air and they were no longer live, both shared tears as the poignancy of the occasion hit home.
Unfortunately, Seve couldn't travel from Spain to be at an event for his foundation the following night that I was proud and privileged to compere.
But the response from everyone on Sunday shows that few sportsmen have ever captured the public imagination like him.
Wenger is just a bad loser
Picks weakened teams: Arsene Wenger
I didn't understand Mick McCarthy's decision to rest a whole team of outfield players for the game at Manchester United – but he did not deserve Arsene Wenger's criticism.
Why do I think McCarthy should have picked a stronger team for Old Trafford? Because I don't understand why his players should be tired at this stage of the season.
Yes, they worked hard to win at Spurs but they are not in Europe, did not have a long run in the Carling Cup and several don't even get called up for international games.
But McCarthy made the decision for the good of his club, which is his right. And Wenger has to be careful not to come across as slightly hypocritical. He also picks weakened teams when it suits him.
He recently fielded the youngest team in Champions League history for a group game against Olympiakos because Arsenal had qualified. Wasn't that disrespecting the Champions League, if you take Wenger's words at face value?
And he will no doubt do it in the FA Cup as well, a competition which carries great prestige.
I think the reason for Wenger's outburst is closer to home than his feelings towards weakened teams. Wenger is an incredibly bad loser for a really intelligent man. He can be a little bit 'boo-hoo' at times.
He has failed to beat Chelsea, Manchester City and Burnley in recent weeks and lost Robin van Persie to injury. That's the reason I think he unfairly lashed out at Wolves.
Beckham’s big chance
Apart from David Beckham, the man who will be most pleased with AC Milan's Champions League draw against Manchester United will be Fabio Capello.
I am sure Capello has not ruled Beckham in or out of his World Cup squad yet, he wants to see how he copes with European football when he arrives on loan at San Siro.
And there will be no truer test for Beckham at the highest level than taking on the Premier League champions on his historic return to Old Trafford.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1237181/GARY-LINEKER-Liverpools-Alberto-Aquilani--possibly-worst-20m-spent-player.html#ixzz0aGkRaWAB
What was your football highlight of 2009? Being a Leicester City fan, nothing could top promotion back to the Championship for me but elsewhere we had 12 months of tears and laughter, cheating, rants and the world's first £80million player.
It's a time to look back and reflect on the best and worst of what has happened. Stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres have graced 2009 but my player of the year is Wayne Rooney, who has grown from world-class talent to the talismanic leader of Manchester United and England.
United were always going to be weakened by Ronaldo going to Real Madrid but the way Rooney has thrived on the extra responsibility has been stunning. He has to be the chief goalscorer and shirt-seller at Old Trafford now. And so far he hasn't put a foot wrong.
Worst of 2009: Alberto Aquilani has failed to click for LiverpoolIt struck me how special he is when I went to Stamford Bridge earlier this season to see Chelsea play United. There were outstanding players on both teams but even in that company Rooney stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Besides winning a third Premier League title in a row, he scored 29 times for club and country in 2009, a great record for a player who offers more than just goals.
If he delivers at the World Cup, we'll be talking about him as the greatest English player of all-time alongside Tom Finney and Bobby Charlton.
Talking of England, Fabio Capello gets my vote as manager of the year, for getting to the World Cup without any palpitations and putting us in a position where we could win it. That is a huge turnaround for a team that didn't qualify for Euro 2008.
Capello has brought discipline to the set-up and given the players confidence. It might be a surprise that Premier League stars can lack self-belief but that was the case with England pre-Capello.
More from Gary Lineker...
- GARY LINEKER: One manager got me by the neck and threw me at the dressing room wall 12/12/09
- Gary Lineker: The best thing about the World Cup draw? Avoiding Spain 05/12/09
- GARY LINEKER: I'm proud to back our World Cup bid but I'm no Lord Coe 28/11/09
- Gary Lineker: Sorry Rafa, but strikers love zonal marking 21/11/09
- GARY LINEKER: Qatar was a night for the England stars to miss 14/11/09
- GARY LINEKER: Sorry Carlo, but I'd take Wayne Rooney over Didier Drogba any day 07/11/09
- GARY LINEKER: Harry Redknapp still has a big job to transform Spurs 31/10/09
- GARY LINEKER: Gareth Barry is who Rafa Benitez needs now more than ever 24/10/09
- VIEW FULL ARCHIVE
The highlight was the 5-1 win against Croatia in September. Significantly, Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard scored twice each - at one stage people didn't think they could play in the same team.
The year was mind-boggling for the money spent on transfers. Manchester City spent £135m, Real Madrid beat that on just two players, Ronaldo and Kaka.
The best business was done in January, however, when Tottenham paid £15m to Portsmouth for Jermain Defoe. Always a good striker, Defoe has become lethal in the last 12 months, improving tremendously in his penalty box awareness. The buy of the year in my view. He's worked with former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright and that shows he is prepared to listen and learn.
Defoe is at the stage now where I would love to see him play with Wayne as the No 1 strike partnership for England. My instinct says that they would be brilliant together. Over to you, Fabio.
Alberto Aquilani cost more than Defoe - but you wouldn't have realised it from his appearances this season. At a reported £20m, he's got to be the worst buy. He was meant to replace Alonso but spent the first three months injured and hasn't been pushed into the team by Rafa Benitez now that he is fit. It suggests the Liverpool boss is not confident about his ability to fit into the English game.
Benitez came up with the best soundbite of the year. But, although funny, it ended up rebounding on Liverpool. His line, 'I want to talk about facts', while ranting about Sir Alex Ferguson in January was great entertainment.
But the timing was strange - Liverpool were top of the table and Benitez didn't have to say anything at all. The next day his side were held by Stoke and never recovered the title initiative.
At least Liverpool had a reasonable season, Newcastle's relegation was a huge shock. The turmoil off the field finally cost them on it.
Best goal of the year came last weekend by Wigan's Maynor Figueroa against Stoke. To score from inside your own half is not easy – even Pele managed to miss from there. Figueroa's shot could not have been struck more sweetly.
Best celebration: Jimmy Bullard celebrates scoring with his Hull teammatesWe have all the Premier League games on a Saturday coming in on a live feed at the BBC. One of the biggest reactions from those of us watching in 2009 wasn't for a goal but for Jimmy Bullard's goal celebration against Manchester City.
His impression of a finger-wagging Hull boss Phil Brown had everyone bursting out with spontaneous laughter and applause. As Alan Shearer said later, it wasn't just the best goal celebration of the year but maybe of all-time.
On the negative side, Thierry Henry became the biggest villain of the year when his handball sent France rather than the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup. The striker has built a fantastic reputation and it was shattered in a moment.
Best of 2009: Wayne Rooney (left) has shone for UnitedI just wish the culture in football would have allowed the referee to ask him outright if he'd handled. I am sure Henry would have been honest if put on the spot and all the bitter recriminations since could have been avoided.
Most sadly of all, we lost one of my greatest role models and inspirations in football this year when Sir Bobby Robson died in July after a long battle against cancer.
It was so fitting that his funeral service in Durham turned into the greatest football gathering of the year, where I was able to catch up with former Italia 90 team-mates Peter Beardsley and Paul Gascoigne and two of my former team-mates from Barcelona, Jose Alexanco and Txiki Begiristain.
Bobby's passing meant 2009 was a bittersweet year for football. Rooney could make 2010 really special.
The lifetime achievement award to Seve Ballesteros was one of the great highlights of the BBC Sports Personality show last Sunday. And things were even more emotional off camera.
After his great friend Jose Maria Olazabal had presented the trophy to Seve on air and they were no longer live, both shared tears as the poignancy of the occasion hit home.
Unfortunately, Seve couldn't travel from Spain to be at an event for his foundation the following night that I was proud and privileged to compere.
But the response from everyone on Sunday shows that few sportsmen have ever captured the public imagination like him.
Wenger is just a bad loser
Picks weakened teams: Arsene WengerI didn't understand Mick McCarthy's decision to rest a whole team of outfield players for the game at Manchester United – but he did not deserve Arsene Wenger's criticism.
Why do I think McCarthy should have picked a stronger team for Old Trafford? Because I don't understand why his players should be tired at this stage of the season.
Yes, they worked hard to win at Spurs but they are not in Europe, did not have a long run in the Carling Cup and several don't even get called up for international games.
But McCarthy made the decision for the good of his club, which is his right. And Wenger has to be careful not to come across as slightly hypocritical. He also picks weakened teams when it suits him.
He recently fielded the youngest team in Champions League history for a group game against Olympiakos because Arsenal had qualified. Wasn't that disrespecting the Champions League, if you take Wenger's words at face value?
And he will no doubt do it in the FA Cup as well, a competition which carries great prestige.
I think the reason for Wenger's outburst is closer to home than his feelings towards weakened teams. Wenger is an incredibly bad loser for a really intelligent man. He can be a little bit 'boo-hoo' at times.
He has failed to beat Chelsea, Manchester City and Burnley in recent weeks and lost Robin van Persie to injury. That's the reason I think he unfairly lashed out at Wolves.
Beckham’s big chance
Apart from David Beckham, the man who will be most pleased with AC Milan's Champions League draw against Manchester United will be Fabio Capello.
I am sure Capello has not ruled Beckham in or out of his World Cup squad yet, he wants to see how he copes with European football when he arrives on loan at San Siro.
And there will be no truer test for Beckham at the highest level than taking on the Premier League champions on his historic return to Old Trafford.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1237181/GARY-LINEKER-Liverpools-Alberto-Aquilani--possibly-worst-20m-spent-player.html#ixzz0aGkRaWAB
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015