SOCCER ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:PHIL JAGIELKA has warned Wayne Rooney he will endure a ferocious reception on his latest return to Goodison Park on Saturday following the lurid allegations over his private life that have pursued him all week, with the England centre-half intending to "give him a little bit" himself.
International team-mates will become club rivals in a hostile atmosphere that is unlikely to reflect the recent easing of tensions between the Manchester United forward and those Everton supporters who once cheered him.
Rooney conducted an interview with Everton’s in-house television service earlier this year, suggesting relations between the player and his former club had improved significantly, though that will be sorely tested on Saturday lunchtime.
Previous returns to his old haunts have prompted poisonous abuse from the stands and disturbances off the pitch, with the striker infuriating home supporters by kissing the badge on his United shirt two years ago during the sides’ 1-1 draw.
Asked whether Rooney would be targeted for abuse by home supporters on his latest return to his boyhood club, Jagielka said: “There’s a good chance. I hope no one crosses the line because, at the end of the day, we are all human beings.
“Sometimes football takes over and you never know what is going to happen. He normally gets quite a bit of stick anyway and I can’t see that changing on Saturday.
“It should be amusing. Up on Merseyside he normally gets a little bit of stick. I’ll be giving him a little bit as well if he plays. We’ve spoken about it. All the boys know who is playing who. It’s always interesting playing against people who you have just been away with in the week. No doubt I’ll give him a couple of bits of banter if he plays.”
Rooney returned from Switzerland having registered his first international goal in a year, but with more pressing personal matters to attend to at home following the publication of a series of lurid allegations in this week’s newspapers.
His display in Basle was admirably professional, his focus retained after a difficult build-up to the qualifying tie, yet that resolve will be tested with collisions against Everton, Rangers and Liverpool in his next three club games.
“It was always going to be a hard night for Wayne on Tuesday, but he did what he was in the team to do,” said Jagielka. “It’s not for me to comment on how he’s been this week off the pitch.
“I’m not exactly best friends with Wayne. I’ve not been hanging around with him but he seems his normal self. I don’t really have an in-depth view of how he has been feeling. But I’m sure Wayne can deal with things. He is a tough lad and he’ll let his football do the talking.”
Jagielka returns to Everton buoyed by his own personal displays in the victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland which have served to cast doubt over whether Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, both vastly more experienced, return immediately to Fabio Capello’s starting line-up upon regaining fitness.
“I’ve given the boss something to think about and that’s all I can do,” added Jagielka. “If they are fit, they’re fit. The manager chooses the players he wants to play.
“I’m still learning when it comes to international football but, hopefully, I’ll get a few more opportunities to play. We’ve won the two games, done pretty well as a team, and obviously I’ve been part of that side. There’s nothing more I can do.
“Three games on the spin for England is fantastic. Hopefully I will keep clocking up more and more, but we’ll wait and see.”
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have signed Everton striker James Vaughan on a three-month loan deal. The 22-year-old will go straight into the Palace squad for Saturday’s Championship clash at Reading.
Guardian Service
