Rooney faces Koeman after drink-drive charge
WAYNE ROONEY has held face-to-face talks with Everton manager Ronald Koeman for the first time since he was charged with drink-driving. Everton’s non-international players reconvened for training yesterday, having been given four days off by Koeman over the weekend. Rooney was arrested in the early hours of Friday, having been three times over the legal limit. Rooney, who will appear before magistrates a week on Monday to answer the charge, drove himself to Finch Farm and trained with the rest of the squad before seeing Koeman to explain the events that have left him in the centre of a storm. Everton have offered no comment and Koeman will only address the matter publicly tomorrow, when he faces the media to preview Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Tottenham. He is, however, a manager who is affronted by players lacking discipline and he will have no hesitation in punishing Rooney if required. It is understood, though, that Everton will not be taking any disciplinary action against Rooney before he faces magistrates. They are waiting to see what is determined there before making a decision of their own. It is also unclear at this stage whether he will be dropped from the starting line-up. The approach Everton are taking mirrors the way Liverpool dealt with Roberto Firmino after he was arrested for drink-driving last Christmas Eve. Firmino received a 12-month driving ban at the start of February and Liverpool took their own disciplinary action then. The group Koeman had to work with was limited to 10 but Ross Barkley was there to have treatment on his torn hamstring, having turned down a move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day.