Rooney to bury the hatchet ........... Literally !

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Rooney: I'm gobsmacked

 

By GUY PATRICK

 

THE war of words between Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo raged on last night — after a peace bid brokered by Sir Alex Ferguson appeared to backfire.

 

And angry England striker Rooney — dubbed Wazza by pals — has confided to team-mates that “The only way he would like to bury the hatchet is in Ronaldo’s head.”

 

The two Man Utd colleagues were urged yesterday to privately settle the row sparked on Saturday when Portuguese winger Ronaldo appeared to beg the ref to send Rooney off during England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat.

 

Club manager Sir Alex insisted it was for the sake of United’s future hopes of Premiership glory.

 

But Rooney, 20, was further infuriated when cheeky Portugeezer Ronaldo claimed on a website his red-carded rival had CONGRATULATED him after the match — and wished him well in the World Cup.

 

And rather than healing the wounds, the pair’s rift opened wider last night as raging Rooney issued a thinly-veiled statement revealing his agony at his dismissal.

 

Commenting at length for the first time since he was forced from the field in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the shattered star claimed he was “gobsmacked” to be sent off.

 

He denied fouling Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho and insisted it was the Chelsea man who should have been penalised.

 

And he branded many other World Cup stars divers — a direct slap in the face for Ronaldo.

 

The £30million striker also insisted he bore “no ill-feeling to Cristiano” but was “disappointed that he chose to get involved”.

 

That line was a direct refusal to make peace with his club-mate and a barely-concealed dig.

 

Earlier, Rooney had reluctantly agreed to send 21-year-old Ronaldo a brief text after Sir Alex told them to patch things up.

 

The Utd supremo told both stars they were “vital” ingredients in his recipe for bringing the Premiership title to Old Trafford.

 

But Rooney — who had previously threatened to split Ronaldo in two with a pickaxe — was incensed after he learned Ronaldo had over-exaggerated his words and posted a toe-curling tribute to their “friendship” on the internet.

 

The Portugal ace, caught by TV cameras winking at chums after Rooney’s red card, insisted there was no rift and that they had been regularly texting each other since Saturday’s grudge match, which England lost on penalties.

 

Ronaldo gave his side of the red-card row on the website of his Portugese agent Jorge Mendes — www.gestifute.com .

 

He said: “I would like to make it clear that there is no problem at all between me and Rooney. I insist: no problem at all.

 

“At the end of the game, we exchanged a series of text messages just as we had on the day before.

 

“This reinforces that I have a fine relationship with Rooney. Between the two of us, everything is clear. In fact, he didn’t just send me congratulations for going forward in the World Cup, he also told me we have a great team and, if we carry on as we have, we will get a long way.”

 

Last night a club source said: “Wayne couldn’t believe it when he heard this. It’s driving him mad — he is still spitting. He sent a brief text after he was asked to make peace with Ronaldo — even though Ferguson has been telling everyone he can see why Wayne would want to punch Christano and settle the score. Ferguson can definitely see Wayne’s point of view.

 

“He was still seething yesterday — and then to make matters worse he hears that Ronaldo is calling them the best of buddies.” In his statement, issued at 6pm yesterday, Rooney insisted he had not intentionally put his foot down on defender Carvalho.

 

He said: “If you ask any player and indeed almost any fan they will tell you that I am straight and honest in the way I play.

 

“From what I’ve seen in the World Cup, most players would have gone to ground at the slightest contact — but my only thought then was to keep possession.”

 

Rooney went on to state his “disappointment” at Ronaldo, but conceded: “I suppose I do though have to remember that on that particular occasion we were not team-mates.” But the club source added: “Wayne’s statement doesn’t need much reading between the lines. It’s pretty obvious from his comments, especially where he says that he is an honest player and was appalled by the amount of cheating going on.

 

“He feels totally stitched-up by Carvalho, but the real betrayal is Ronaldo. They were good friends and team-mates and whatever Ferguson tries to do it’s difficult to see how this can be resolved.”

 

Argentinian ref Horacio Elizondo — who sent off Rooney — insisted he was NOT influenced by Ronaldo, saying: “It was violent play therefore he got a red card. People can say what they want, but this had absolutely no influence.”

 

England’s first game under new boss Steve McClaren was in doubt last night after FIFA bosses suspended would-be opponents Greece from “all international contact”.

 

It follows claims that chiefs had failed to guarantee independence from government control.

 

Greece are due to play an Old Trafford friendly on August 16 in England’s only warm-up game before their Euro 2008 qualification bid. FA chiefs will now discuss the match their Greek counterparts.

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Rooney's statement in full

 

OBVIOUSLY I’m bitterly disappointed to have been sent off in a World Cup finals match for England.

 

I remember the incident clearly and have seen it several times since on TV. I am of the same opinion now as I was at the time — that what happened didn’t warrant a red card.

 

If anything, I feel we should have had a free-kick for the fouls committed on me during the same incident.

 

I want to say absolutely categorically that I did not intentionally put my foot down on Ricardo Carvalho.

 

He slid in from behind me and unfortunately ended up in a positioning where my foot was inevitably going to end up as I kept my balance. That’s all there was to it.

 

If you ask any player — and indeed almost any fan — they will tell you that I am straight and honest in the way I play.

 

From what I’ve seen in the World Cup, most players would have gone to ground at the slightest contact, but my only thought then was to keep possession for England.

 

When the referee produced the red card I was amazed — gobsmacked. I bear no ill feeling to Cristiano but am disappointed that he chose to get involved.

 

I suppose I do, though, have to remember that on that particular occasion we were not team-mates.

 

I thought the England lads were awesome after I went off and the effort they put in was amazing.

 

Truly, if there was any justice England would now be preparing for a World Cup semi-final. Sadly, however, that is not to be in 2006.

 

I want again to thank my team-mates for the unbelievable effort they put into the game and for all the support and encouragement they gave me after it.

 

I will also always be indebted to everyone who, after my injury, helped make it possible for me to begin to fulfil a boyhood dream by representing my country in the finals of a World Cup.

 

Finally, I want to say how sorry I am to see Sven go and to see David step down as captain.

 

I will always be grateful to Sven for his guidance and the faith he showed in me, and to David for being a great captain and great friend.