Wayne Rooney told Vardy to ‘calm your wife down’ as her antics were a ‘problem’

For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter

Wayne Rooney has sensationally revealed he was asked to pull Jamie Vardy aside and sort his wife out ahead of the 2016 European Championships

Ex-England team-mates Rooney, 36, and Vardy, 35, were both in attendance at the 'Wagatha Christie' trial on Tuesday to give evidence in Rebekah Vardy's libel case against Coleen Rooney.

The Derby County manager told the court that in 2016 he was asked by then Three Lions manager Roy Hodgson, and his assistant Gary Neville, to have a quiet word with Leicester City star Vardy and tell his wife to "calm down" over her Twitter antics.

Rooney said: "We didn't want any newspaper columns. We didn't want any distractions. We discussed it with the players beforehand. Mrs Vardy had a newspaper column."

He added: "I recall Mrs Vardy was on Facetime a lot with Jamie. When the lads were playing darts and pool Mrs Vardy was almost with the team.

"She was on Facetime a lot. As England captain, I would always try and protect the players as much as I can. There was no falling out between me and Mr Vardy.

"It wasn't my place to speak to Mrs Vardy. I was asked to speak to Mr Vardy. If Mr Vardy wanted to relay that back to his wife that is entirely his business. I am sat here under oath. I 100 per cent spoke to Mr Vardy. If he wants to relay that back to his wife then that is up to him."

Speaking in the witness box on Tuesday (May 17) Rooney also spoke on how Rebekah's off-field activities were creating "problems and distractions that the FA wanted to avoid" and that the conversations with team-mate Jamie were "awkward".

Rooney said: "I'm sure it was an awkward situation for Mr Vardy too." He also told the court he spoke to Jamie as requested by the manager.

Manchester United's record goalscorer also informed the court he was not astonished when Coleen told him she believed Rebekah Vardy had been leaking her Instagram stories to The Sun newspaper.

Rooney said: "Was I surprised? No. But again I didn't want to get involved with it. I was still playing football and Coleen was working independently herself.''

Asked if he mentioned it to Jamie, Rooney replied: "Jamie was a team-mate for the national team. He is not someone I have ever outside of football been particularly friends with."

Quizzed on when Coleen first mentioned her sting Rooney replied: "I woke up on October 9. I was in the US. My wife was in England. I saw that my wife had put a post out. That was the first knowledge I had of that."

The trial continues.

• Wayne Rooney
• Jamie Vardy
• England Football Team
• Coleen Rooney
• Rebekah Vardy

Source: Read Full Article