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Wayne Rooney is keen to focus on the football when his Birmingham side host Leicester City on Monday night – and not dwell on any lingering ‘Wagatha Christie’ feelings.
The match will be the first time clubs employing Rooney and Jamie Vardy have met since the headline-grabbing ‘Wagatha Christie’ case.
Rebekah Vardy lost her £3million libel case against Coleen Rooney last year after the latter accused her of leaking ‘false stories’ about her private life.
Monday’s Sky Sports clash was meant to be the first time Rooney and Vardy have faced each other since then, but the Leicester striker is injured.
Wayne Rooney says he does not want to be ‘dragged into a sideshow’ surrounding the Wagatha Christie case when Birmingham play Leicester
Birmingham welcome Jamie Vardy’s Leicester on Monday night in a box-office Sky Sports clash, though the striker won’t feature due to injury
All the same, Rooney is keen to avoid any theatre beyond the sport. He said: ‘I think what is important is we don’t get dragged into a sideshow about everything that has happened in the past, which everyone is aware has been dealt with from a legal point of view.
‘My job is to focus on Birmingham trying to win the game.
‘I played with him for England, the same as I played with many players for England.
‘He is not someone who I have ever had a relationship with, outside of being away on a training camp or being in games with him.
‘I respect Jamie Vardy a lot, I think he is a fantastic player – he still has a lot to offer Leicester.
‘In my opinion, Jamie Vardy is a fantastic player and has been for many years, a great servant for Leicester. Ultimately, the game is about Birmingham going to try and win the game. Anything else, there is nothing really to talk about.’
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Rooney’s stint in charge of Birmingham has been disappointing and a showdown with Championship leaders Leicester presents a monumental test.
Rebekah Vardy (left) lost her £3million libel case against Coleen Rooney (right) last year
Rooney has won two of his ten games in charge of Birmingham since replacing John Eustace
Since replacing John Eustace, he has won just two of ten games in charge and the club have fallen from sixth to 16th in the table.
In the summer, American investor Tom Wagner and Knighthead Capital assumed a 46 per cent stake in the club and NFL legend Tom Brady became a co-owner.
Brady appointed Rooney because he wanted a ‘high-profile’ manager but he has struggled to get the same tune out of the squad that Eustace did.
Vardy has adapted to life in the Championship well, scoring six goals in 18 games, but has not featured in Leicester’s last three games.
Foxes boss Enzo Maresca said it would be ‘impossible’ for him to play at St Andrew’s.
Since the Wagatha Christie case, Channel 4 brought out a series called ‘Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama’.
Coleen was also paid millions by Disney for a documentary called ‘Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story’, telling the story of the legal battle.
