Rooney hits out at ‘disgraceful’ critics
England captain vents fury after drinking controversy ‘I won’t let media write my obituary,’ insists striker
A defiant Wayne Rooney has warned his critics he will not let them “write my obituary” as the Manchester United and England captain condemned his treatment in the wake of his late-night drinking controversy as “disgraceful”.
In a strongly-worded riposte to his detractors, Rooney believes he has been shown a lack of respect and insisted his international career was far from over after reacting angrily to what he perceives as attempts to drive him out of the England team by the media.
Rooney issued a public apology on Wednesday after being rebuked by the FA for apparently getting drunk in the England team hotel 24 hours after the country’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Scotland at Wembley nine days ago.
The Sun newspaper published pictures of Rooney – England’s all-time leading scorer with 53 goals – looking worse for wear after allegedly gatecrashing a wedding at The Grove hotel in Hertfordshire and drinking into the early hours.
The ill-fated night materialised after Rooney had taken the decision not to join the rest of his England team-mates on a night out in London amid concerns about courting controversy only for his best-laid plans to backfire.
Rooney believes he has been unfair- ly singled out and expressed profound dismay at the recent criticism.
“What’s been going on is disgraceful,” he told reporters after United’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford yesterday. “I’m proud to play for my country and I’m proud of my achievements. It’s not finished yet. I think what’s been going on is disgraceful.
“It shows a lack of respect and I think enough is enough. “That’s all I want to say.” Rooney, who was introduced as a second-half substitute against Arsenal, reiterated his message in a statement issued to the BBC last night.
It read: “Enough is enough. It feels as if the media are trying to write my obituary and I won’t let that happen.
“I love playing for my country and I am proud of my achievements to date – but I have not finished yet.”
United manager Jose Mourinho, who was dismayed that England staff members had been out drinking until late with Rooney, accused the Football Association on Friday of failing to provide adequate protection for his captain. He also expressed concern that the striker had been left in a “fragile” state by the storm engulfing him.
It followed Mourinho’s worries earlier in the season that Rooney had been left crushed by criticism of his performance during England’s tepid 1-0 win against Slovakia in September.
Gareth Southgate had seen Rooney and members of England’s staff drinking at the hotel but the caretaker manager did not intervene because he was under the impression they were heading to bed.
Southgate is thought to feel let down that Rooney opted to stay up.
By contrast, Mourinho felt Rooney’s behaviour was singled out, even though there were England team-mates out in nightclubs in London at the same time.
Asked if Rooney should not have put himself in such a scenario, the United manager added: “If you go one by one, to see where these 23 [England] players were, some of them were in worse places than the hotel bar.
“The player goes to the national team, he belongs to the national team.
“If someone lends me something I have to take even better care [of it] than if it was mine.
“Your friend lends you a pencil, you have to take care of the pencil better than if it was your pencil. I think you have to build something to protect what is not yours, what someone lends you.”
The FA has launched an investigation and the discipline of the squad is expected to form a central part of a scheduled debrief Southgate will undertake with the FA on Wednesday, with all players and staff expected to be reminded of their responsibilities.