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.
Carroll alleged in his new autobiography, Owning It, that Rooney invited other players into his room for beer and cigarettes while they were representing the Three Lions around 2010 and 2011.
The former Liverpool, Newcastle and West Ham striker described gatherings which 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.
“No one got smashed, it was just Wazza’s way of breaking the monotony with a couple of drinks.”
Rooney responded with a strongly worded statement in which he categorically rejected Carroll’s version of events and questioned where the account had originated.
The Manchester United and England legend also insisted that he had rarely socialised with Carroll away from football.
“I don’t normally comment on falsehoods written about me — but I will address this one,” Rooney said.
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
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“Andy knows that he and I never really socialised. I bumped into him once, coincidentally, while on a holiday — but that’s about it.
“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.”
Carroll is now said to be standing by the account contained within his book, leaving the former international colleagues publicly at odds over what happened.
A friend of the 37-year-old told The Sun that Carroll was bewildered by Rooney’s suggestion that the episode had been invented.
Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll were once England team-mates
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“Andy is beyond baffled by the suggestion that he invented a story,” the unnamed friend said.
“He has no reason to make something like this up and stands by every word of his account.
“This is how Andy remembers the night and he won’t be bullied into changing his version simply because someone else now disputes it.
“It is his honest recollection of the events as he experienced them. He is so proud of this book.”
The source also stressed that the autobiography had been scrutinised before publication and claimed it had undergone the standard checks expected during the publishing process.
“The manuscript was carefully assessed ahead of publishing, with the appropriate checks undertaken in line with standard publishing practice,” they added.
Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll pictured playing against each other for West Ham and Manchester United
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“The book went through all the usual editorial and legal checks before being printed.”
Rooney, who won 120 caps and became Manchester United’s record goalscorer during a glittering playing career, has made clear that he considers the account untrue.
The 40-year-old scored 53 goals from 120 caps.
Carroll, meanwhile, netted twice from his nine international outings.
