Coleen: ‘Wayne’s a changed man’
He’s made a shocking start to 2020
‘He knows he’s made mistakes in the past’
Let’s be honest, we never thought we’d see the day when Wayne Rooney grew up. But it seems that, against all odds, he finally has – and it’s his long-suffering wife Coleen who is reaping the benefits. The former England captain began his new role as player-coach for Derby County at the start of this month, and his love of being back on the pitch in England, along with the added responsibility of being a role model to the younger players, is spilling over into his home life.
“Coleen has really noticed the difference in Wayne and can see how happy he is at work, which in turn makes him a lot happier when he’s at home,” a source close to the parents of Kai, ten, Klay, six, Kit, three, and 23-month-old Cass, tells heat. “He loves going into work and has told Coleen that he’s really embracing training with the younger lads and giving them advice. He knows he’s made mistakes in the past in both his personal life and on the pitch, but he wants to show people he’s matured and that the players and his children can look up to him.”
Wayne, 34, signed for Derby last year after spending over a year in America. Coleen and the boys moved with him but, due to a few issues between the couple (mainly Wayne’s drunken misbehaviour), they decided to move back to the UK two years early. As well as coaching, he’s also captaining Derby, and his maturity has been applauded by pundits, as he has tried to calm on-pitch fights rather than get involved. And we’re told Coleen couldn’t be happier.
“He’s a completely changed man. Coleen finally feels that they’re both on the same page about making a fresh start,” our insider says. “They’ve already been discussing having another baby – hopefully a girl – and seeing Wayne behave so maturely on the pitch and at home has confirmed she was right to give him another chance. The boys love having him around when he’s like this, and she feels that as he settles in more at the club, he’s only going to get better. She’s back to being a proud wife and happy in their marriage.” ■