Rooney's England place not under threat
Wayne Rooney’s place in England’s World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland this weekend is not expected to come under threat despite a police investigation into an alleged nightclub brawl.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed they are launching inquiries into claims by a 22-year-old student that Rooney struck him during an argument in a Manchester city centre bar on Monday night.
Police have, however, not yet made contact with the Football Association about whether they are interested in interviewing Rooney this week while he is on England duty.
The 19-year-old striker will therefore continue preparations for Saturday’s game at Old Trafford, with a training session at Manchester United’s Carrington base this morning.
Only if Rooney, who denies the accusation, is later found guilty of any offence will his England place be jeopardised, although the FA may have to review the situation if he is actually charged.
The FA’s rules have nevertheless changed since Alan Smith was asked to leave the squad before a friendly against Denmark in November 2003 after simply being interviewed by police.
Smith, who had been accused of throwing a bottle back into the crowd during a game, was cleared of any wrongdoing and the case prompted a rethink by the FA.
Rooney is therefore still expected to start Saturday’s game against Northern Ireland, with Sven-Goran Eriksson understood to be relaxed about his presence in a bar late on Monday night.
Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, who was with him, were not yet on England duty, given that the squad joined up yesterday lunchtime, and while they may have been unwise, they will not be punished.
The United striker has, moreover, denied any involvement in the alleged 1am assault and is hoping that CCTV footage from the bar will prove his innocence.
A spokesman for Rooney insisted: “Wayne was approached by a man he had never met in a menacing and threatening manner. At no stage did Wayne respond. The man was immediately asked to leave the nightclub in the company of security guards.”
An official complaint was nevertheless lodged with police after Rooney was allegedly taunted over his controversial move from Everton to United last summer.
It is claimed the student screamed at the striker, calling him ‘treacherous’ and shouting ’once a blue, always a blue’, in reference to his former Everton career.
A police spokesman confirmed that a “formal complaint of assault” had been made but stressed that “it is too early to say if we will need to interview the man involved”.
The FA were making no official comment about the matter, with Rooney never having been due to take any part in today’s official launch of the new England kit.
The 19-year-old striker has nevertheless still overshadowed preparations to a qualifier, just as his close friend, Steven Gerrard, did before England’s game against Greece at Old Trafford in 2001.
Gerrard was not involved in any allegations of violence but was also caught on a late night out just five days before that qualifier.
Rooney insisted only last summer he would try to avoid such potentially controversial situations.
“Obviously you want to try and avoid them,” he accepted before the Euro 2004 finals.
“But I’m a young lad so if I want to go out a week before a game, I will. I just won’t go out three or four days before a game.”
Gerrard, meanwhile, warned Rooney he must be the model professional both on and off the pitch to fulfil his enormous potential.
The Liverpool midfielder, now 24, may have at first insisted that he was not at fault, with only a few alcopops having been drunk.
However, he gradually learned he would have to make sacrifices in his personal life to succeed.
When asked last summer whether he had made mistakes which Rooney could learn from, he admitted: “Yes, definitely. It was well documented when I was out late four or five nights before a game, socialising with my friends when I should have been at home ahead of a big international game.
“The biggest advice that I could give to Wayne is that you don’t just get judged on your football on the pitch, it’s how you behave on and off it as well.”
