SOCCER:MANCHESTER UNITED striker Wayne Rooney has accepted a fine for his performance in training following a night out. Rooney went for a meal on St Stephen's Day with his wife and fellow players Darron Gibson and Jonny Evans.
Despite no suggestion they misbehaved or drank too much, Alex Ferguson was unhappy with their training performance the next day. Rooney was fined one week’s wages (reportedly €270,000) and has accepted the punishment.
The England striker, who was dropped for United’s defeat by Blackburn on Saturday, is understood to want to draw a line under the matter.
Evans and Gibson were also fined and left out of the United squad for the New Year’s Eve match. It is understood each of the three players were treated equally.
They went out for the meal after United’s 5-0 win over Wigan on St Stephen’s Day.
A Manchester United source said the matter was now considered closed. “We move on and there is no ongoing feud,” the source added.
It has been reported that Ferguson made Rooney, Evans and Gibson come in on Wednesday, December 28th – a designated day off – and train on their own.
United take on Newcastle away tomorrow with Rooney expected to return. The champions rarely comment on internal disciplinary matters but were forced to make a statement after several media reports on Monday.
The Daily Telegraphsaid "Rooney's 'lethargic' training leaves Ferguson enraged". The Guardian reported that "Rooney has no beef with Ferguson after costly dinner", adding the England striker had reluctantly accepted his fine. United crashed to a shock home defeat by struggling Rovers at Old Trafford while Rooney watched the match from a box in the stadium.
Columnist Steven Howard wrote in the Sun that, although he may have turned 70 on Saturday, Ferguson proved he was still the boss with his swift handling of the affair.
“Some will suggest the arch disciplinarian cut off his nose to spite his face . . . and that Ferguson’s determination to show he still rules the roost at Old Trafford came back to haunt him,” said Howard. The counter argument is Rooney should never have put Ferguson in the position where he even contemplated having to leave out his best player.”
Rooney has been in fine form for United, scoring four goals in his last four appearances to help the team pull level with leaders Manchester City at the top of the table. Although United lost on Saturday the defeat was not quite as calamitous as it might have been as City also went down to a surprise defeat on Sunday, losing 1-0 at Sunderland.
