The Godfather Part II. The Dark Knight. Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Relatively few ventures have managed to improve upon or even equal their widely-successfully prequel. Like the aforementioned cinematic classics, D.C. United’s Wayne Rooney will be hoping his second season in Major League Soccer can live up to last year’s heroics and that it concludes with hardware in hand.

Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer hit the ground running in every way in 2018, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists in 20 games with the Black and Red. While the winter offseason grants the luxury of growing accustomed to life in the nation’s capital, and the chance to deepen chemistry with teammates, his first full campaign in MLS will present Rooney a number of unique challenges he did not face in 2018.

Rooney’s 19th preseason officially kicked off on Tuesday at The St. James—a sports, wellness, and entertainment complex in Springfield, Virginia—and it seems the forward has been chomping at the bit.

“I mean, this offseason was the longest I've ever had and I think probably four or six weeks ago I was ready to come back into training, but obviously had to wait,” he told the media during Wednesday's open practice.

This week’s return is a welcomed chance to put any off-the-field concerns to bed and focus on the task at hand. 

Keeping Father Time at Bay

Dealing with the aging process is terribly difficult for many of us, and the ways in which a professional athlete adjusts as the years collect can ultimately make or break their legacy. Striking the right balance between acknowledging the effects of age and maintaining fitness and performance at an elite level is no easy feat, and one of the biggest questions heading into this season is just how much manager Ben Olsen is willing to rotate his star striker. Keeping Rooney fresh in 2019 will be integral to the club’s success as he nears 20 years of professional play.

Fortunately for the D.C. faithful, Rooney has already proved that he can adapt his playing style with age and, in doing so, contribute in a number of areas. The transformation of his game really gained traction in his time at Everton under Sam Allardyce, where he fell into a deeper role to help play provider while still finding the back of the net. July through November brought much of the same as Rooney, Acosta, and company wreaked havoc on opposing defenses.

Travel and Away Fixtures

D.C. fans will surely be optimistic about what Rooney can provide this season away from Audi Field. Just two victories and 11 total points preceded his July arrival, as the club sat in last place when Rooney debuted on July 14. The midseason completion of the Black and Red’s new home resulted in a back-loaded home schedule, which worked to near perfection (a 12-2-1 record) while supplying a host of unforgettable moments.

It’s back to normal for the club in 2019, meaning the number nine will get his first taste of the copious miles of travel that professional sports in the United States demand. In fact, the only occasion which required Rooney to leave the Eastern time zone was the regular season finale in the Windy City. A graphic recently circulated on Reddit and Twitter demonstrating the immense distances MLS clubs cover in comparison to their European counterparts. Rooney has undoubtedly heard plenty on this subject, but only personal experience can truly attest to such demands on a weekly basis.

Intangibles

Goals, assists, chances created and a plethora of other statistics can go a long way in gauging how valuable a player is to his side. However, such metrics only tell a portion of the story. The intangibles a seasoned player provides, both on the pitch and in the dressing room, often prove to be the necessary ingredient for positive results down the stretch.

There’s certainly no doubt that Rooney can and will produce his fair share of measurables on the stat sheet, but equally important is the leadership he can provide over the course of a long, grueling season. Experience gained in captaining a Premier League outfit while also competing on multiple domestic and European fronts will serve well for a young side looking to capture its first silverware since 2013.

Wayne Rooney in Major League Soccer, Part II is set to commence in less than two months time. All eyes will be on D.C. to see if their main man can overcome the obstacles and take the team to new heights following last year’s miraculous midseason turnaround and playoff berth.

Wesley Davidson is a graduate of the University of Alabama (BA) and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (MA). He currently works in youth soccer in Austin, Texas, and can be found on Twitter.