Fergie fines Rooney, Evans and Gibson for being unfit to train after boozy night out
Published 23:00 01/01/12 By David McDonnell
Wayne Rooney was axed by Sir Alex Ferguson after the Manchester United boss deemed he wasn’t fit to train.
Rooney was dropped from United’s squad for Saturday’s shock 3-2 defeat to Blackburn after a boozy Boxing Day night out involving team-mates Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson.
The trio were subjected to Fergie’s infamous ‘hairdryer’ treatment and each fined a week’s wages – £200,000 in Rooney’s case. None of the players broke a club curfew, but with United’s game against Blackburn five days away on the night in question, their training performances the following morning were considered below par.
Rooney is said to have been aggrieved at being disciplined, feeling he was in a fit state to train. But United sources claim there is no ongoing rift between Ferguson and Rooney.
Ferguson took the bold decision to axe his most influential player, despite being hit by an injury and illness crisis, to prove once again that no player is bigger than the club.
That decision backfired, with United losing 2-3 to struggling Blackburn.
Manchester United 2-3 Blackburn: Daily Mirror match report
When asked about Rooney’s omission, Ferguson claimed the player had missed training sessions last week because of “little strains here and there”.
“Wayne hasn’t trained well this week,” said Ferguson before Saturday’s defeat. “He’s missed a few days and we’re hoping that he trains today, tomorrow and, by Wednesday, he should be okay.”
Rooney, who watched the Blackburn game from an executive box at Old Trafford, should start on Wednesday away to Alan Pardew’s Newcastle.
Ferguson described the defeat to Blackburn as “an absolute disaster” but vowed his team would recover to get their title challenge back on track.
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