‘He’s doing my head in!’ – Wayne Rooney reveals his problem with The United Strand

Wayne Rooney has hit out at The United Strand’s Frank Ilett, claiming the hair-raising social media challenge is ‘doing his head in’ and taking the focus away from Michael Carrick’s impressive start as manager.

Frank Ilett fired up The United Strand page on Instagram way back in October 2024, when Manchester United were in the middle of a dismal winless streak under Erik ten Hag.

Clearly a glutton for punishment and craving more torment and suffering on top of United’s wretched campaign, Ilett vowed not to cut his hair until his beloved team had won five games on the bounce in all competitions.

Needless to say, Ten Hag was relieved of his duties just over a fortnight later and the pain and misery continued under his successor, Ruben Amorim, who followed the Dutchman out the exit door at Old Trafford last month.

Ilett’s barnet has undergone quite the transformation in the 494 days that have passed, with his page now boasting a following of 1.4 million and his daily updates garnering hundreds of thousands of views.

And while Ilett’s JustGiving fundraiser for The Little Princess Trust has raised £7,157 towards its £10,000 target, the attention-grabbing antics have not gone down well with everyone – with one United fan even attacking him during a match earlier this season.

Last night, though, it appeared the social media challenge may be nearing its end as Carrick’s side headed to West Ham in search of an all-important fifth straight victory.

Patience with Manchester United's hairy fan wearing thin

Things have been rather rosy at Old Trafford the last four weeks since Michael Carrick officially took the reins.

Key to that has been blocking out the noise around the club’s long-term plans and focusing on the immediate task at hand – a process that can’t have been helped when all the talk ahead of a tough game against in-form West Ham again centered on one lad and his barnet.

United have been careful not to play along with the gag. Carrick admitted his kids have kept him informed on the buzz while club captain Bruno Fernandes dismissed any chat over the story that has become nothing but an unwanted distraction.  

United want nothing to do with it – anyone expecting Sir Alex Ferguson to gleefully give Ilett a short back and sides in the Old Trafford centre circle when the feat is finally achieved may need a rethink.

Illet’s run has been good-natured – unlike some of the borderline toxic United supporters (and former players) clogging up the fan channel space, he has been a harmless and positive presence.

But we are 16 months down the road now. Should United return to winning ways against Everton on 23 February, the cycle starts again during a period where their sole focus will be on Champions League qualification.

Illet is a smart man to strike while the iron is hot but commercial deals and an ever-growing media presence will only fuel sentiment he is profiting from United’s misery.

Daft questions on the subject of one fan’s trim are already growing thin – Wayne Rooney’s joking-not-joking comments will probably the capture the mood shared by many United fans and plenty within the club behind closed doors.

Tony Mogan, live sports editor

A remarkable run of wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham meant there was finally light at the end of the tunnel, with that elusive trip to the barbers seemingly in touching distance.

But with his rollercoaster of emotions streamed live on Kick, Ilett was let down at the final hurdle by the Red Devils, who, in the end, had to settle for a 1-1 draw thanks to Benjamin Sesko’s late equaliser at the London Stadium.

Ilett shook his head and appeared lost for words as the full-time whistle was blown, later telling those watching the stream: ‘It’s tough. It’s tough to think, really. We go again, I guess.

‘The main positive is that the hair gets a bit longer for the Little Princess Trust and I can donate it, that’s what they want. It’s just tough, I really felt this was it.

‘But we keep going, we keep committed. See you on Day 500. Got to do something special for that now.’

United’s interim manager Carrick was able to see the funny side when asked about the social media phenomenon, revealing how his children had been keeping him in the loop.

‘I can say I’m aware of it, yeah,’ Carrick told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

‘My kids have made me aware of it, if anything, but it certainly won’t go into the team talk from a professional level.

‘I can understand what’s going on with it and it does make me smile but it won’t have an impact ultimately in the end.’

But featuring as a guest on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast alongside Sam Allardyce in the run-up to Tuesday’s clash, Rooney pulled no punches with his thoughts on Ilett’s challenge.

‘I’d put him to the other side of the country! He’s doing my head in,’ the ex-United and England forward said.

‘We’re talking about Michael Carrick and Manchester United trying to win their fifth game in a row and the whole thing is about this guy getting his hair cut.

‘No, I bet he’d be devastated if Manchester United win the fifth game because, all of a sudden, he’s irrelevant. It’s doing my head in.

‘That’s where football has gone now with social media, we’re talking about a guy getting his hair cut if Manchester United win a game of football.’

Instead, Rooney was keen to focus on the remarkable job Carrick has done since picking up the pieces from Amorim’s turbulent reign last month.

‘Yeah, it is [impossible for the board to consider him as a long-term option],’ Rooney, Carrick’s long-time team-mate at the Theatre of Dreams, explained.

‘I think what’s happening at the minute, they’re saying, “Don’t make the same mistake that you did with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer]”, but Ole actually did okay.

‘With Michael, he’s a different character to Ole. He’s calm, he’s a bit more calculated, I feel, and it feels right.

‘I was at the Fulham game at Old Trafford and when you see him down there it feels right seeing him there. He’s got a calmness, he knows how he wants to play.

‘Manchester United has been a bit of a rollercoaster over the last ten years or whatever. I know it’s only four games but he’s brought that calmness back and the players respect him.

‘It looks like the players are enjoying playing football again and playing with a bit of freedom.

‘If that continues then I think it would be impossible not to give him the job.’

United will look to get back to winning ways when they return to Premier League action away to Everton next Monday night.

After their setback at West Ham, Carrick’s men remain in fourth place and one point better off than Chelsea.

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