Wayne Rooney denies claims about drinking from Andy Carroll’s autobiography
Wayne Rooney has now issued a furious public denial after former England team-mate Andy Carroll made claims about drinking and smoking inside the national team’s hotel, reports BritPanorama.
In his new autobiography, Owning It, Carroll alleged that Rooney invited other players to his room for beer and cigarettes during their time with the national team around 2010 and 2011.
The former Liverpool, Newcastle, and West Ham striker described gatherings that he claimed provided players with a temporary escape from the repetitive nature of international camps. “He’d be surrounded by cartons of fags, crates of lager and bottles of wine (which he got the hotel manager to deliver to his room), and soon his room would be full of players,” Carroll wrote.
Carroll added, “No one got smashed; it was just Wazza’s way of breaking the monotony with a couple of drinks.” In response, Rooney issued a strongly worded statement categorically rejecting Carroll’s claims and questioning their authenticity.
“I don’t normally comment on falsehoods written about me — but I will address this one,” Rooney stated, asserting that he rarely socialised with Carroll outside football. “As for this ‘tale’ about me drinking on England duty, it’s a fabrication. I don’t know where the story comes from. It’s disappointing.”
Despite Rooney’s denials, Carroll appears to be standing by the account in his book. A friend of Carroll expressed to the press that the former striker is bewildered by Rooney’s suggestion that the episode was invented, insisting that he is proud of the book and will not change his version of events.
“Andy is beyond baffled by the suggestion that he invented a story,” the friend noted. “He has no reason to make something like this up and stands by every word of his account.” Additionally, this source emphasized that the autobiography underwent standard checks before publication.
In the context of their football careers, Rooney won 120 caps and became Manchester United’s record goalscorer during an illustrious playing career, while Carroll netted twice in his nine international outings.
Ultimately, this public spat highlights the complexities of relationships within professional sports, where memories and narratives clash, leaving fans and observers to ponder the truth behind the curtain of celebrity.
