Nike... then adidas... then Nike again! Welbeck has changed boots three times already this season (and he finally scored his first United goal on Saturday)

Danny Welbeck has been at the centre of a tug-of-war between boot giants adidas and Nike.


But the England striker returned to Nike boots for Saturday's 4-2 win against Stoke, when he scored his first goal of the season - and earned rave reviews from Sir Alex Ferguson.

He has alternated between Nike and adidas this season, changing his boot choice three times already. But he now appears to have chosen Nike ahead of their German rivals, Footy-Boots.com reports.








Foot on the ball: Danny Welbeck has changed his boots three times this season. He started with Nike (left), changed to adidas after failing to score (centre) but was back in his favoured Nike on Saturday (right)


They also report that Welbeck has yet to confirm his tie-up with Nike, although his latest switch tips the balance in their favour. He has had a four year contract with Nike, but that didn't stop him from trying out their rivals in a high-profile England game recently.


Welbeck started the season in the Nike T90 Laser, before switching to the adidas F50 adiZero.


This was seen as a great coup for adidas, with Nike apparently losing one of their brightest young assets.


But against Stoke on Saturday, he was back to Nike and turned out in Mercurial Vapor VIII in green.


They are the eighth version of the boot, first launched by Nike for the 1998 World Cup in France, when Brazilian striker Ronaldo launched them to rival the market-leaders adidas and their Predator boot. All Mercurial Vapor boots are made in Soft Ground and Firm Ground varieties.

Martin O'Neill recently became the latest manager to speak out against brightly coloured boots and urged players to return to the old-style black boots.

The Sunderland manager said: 'When they were introduced, I remember Alan Ball wore a pair of white boots. Of course, he thought he was a great player and, to be fair, he was.

'But to wear really luminous boots you had to be a really good player, but nowadays you don’t have to be a good one to wear them.



Old school: Former Man united star - and now QPR boss - Mark Hughes said players used to have one pair of boots for the entire season

'I would love if it came back to just wearing black boots. It would be great. I wore black boots. I certainly wouldn’t have worn orange!


'Under Cloughie, we were allowed two pairs of boots every season and then you had to buy your own after that. Honestly.


'We had to go down to a place in Nottingham called Redmayne & Todd with a chit and buy your boots. And if the boots you wanted were more expensive, you had to put some extra money to it. And we’d only won the European Cup — twice.’


Other managers share O'Neill's views, including QPR boss Mark Hughes.



He said: 'When I played you kept the one pair that you broke in and you wanted to last for the season. At the moment it seems if the boot company says you’ve got to wear green ones one week then you have to wear green ones. It comes from the boot company rather than the player.'


Everton boss David Moyes said: ‘I’m a traditionalist, so it is black boots for me. If you are a centre half, you can’t wear anything other than black.'


And Martin Jol, the Fulham manager, said: ‘I don’t like these flashy boots. But I won’t be too critical. I don’t want a big wall between me and the players. If they feel they should play in pink then they should. On the other hand I always tell them that I feel they play better with black boots. We always played in black boots.'





Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2221313/Manchester-United-striker-Danny-Welbeck-wears-Nike-boots-instead-adidas.html#ixzz2A2EBuTmV
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