Iconic figure of Manchester United, Wayne Rooney, shed light on the legal dispute initiated by David Moyes in 2008, years after Rooney’s transition from Everton to the Red Devils.
Moyes played a pivotal role in Rooney’s early career, providing him with his senior team debut at Everton in 2002. Rooney swiftly ascended to stardom, displaying his exceptional talent on the pitch.
However, tensions arose in 2004 when Rooney made a high-profile transfer to Manchester United for a then-record fee of £30 million, straining his relationship with his former manager.
The rift between Rooney and Moyes reached its peak in 2008 when Moyes took legal action against Rooney over allegations made in the player’s autobiography, “My Story So Far.”
In the memoir, Rooney accused Moyes of disclosing details of a private conversation regarding his departure plans from Everton.
Moyes vehemently disputed the allegation and filed a libel suit against Rooney. In response, Rooney and Harper Collins retracted the claims and publicly apologized to Moyes.
Additionally, the publisher agreed to pay substantial damages to Moyes, which he subsequently donated to the Everton Former Players Foundation.
In a candid interview with Gary Neville on “The Overlap” Rooney expressed his regret over the incident. “David Moyes was really good for me at Everton,” Rooney said.
“He sued me after I left the club—I hammered him when I left because of how I felt at the time. I regret that.
I spoke to him a few years after I left, I called him up and apologized because the older you get, you realize why he was doing things. It was new to him to have a player getting all those headlines, for him to figure out.
He was a young manager at the time, it was new to him. When I look back, he was good for me, he was constantly on me. He was trying to not let me think that I was better than I was.
I was a handful in my youth. In the indoor gym, I was launching rockets from one end to the other. Moysey walked in when I was just 16.”
Following the resolution of the legal dispute, Moyes expressed his relief and satisfaction. “Anyone who knows me well would, I hope, regard me as a man of honour and integrity,” Moyes stated.
“I was disappointed and wanted people to know that what had been written was completely untrue.
I felt that I had no choice but to take action for a full apology and damages. Having accepted these, I do not intend to make any financial gain from this and shall give that to the Everton Former Players Foundation”.
Rooney’s acknowledgment underscores how time can offer clarity regarding past choices and behaviors.
His introspections highlight the significance of mentorship and its influence on young athletes coping with the demands of celebrity and competition.
Notably, Rooney reunited with Moyes as his manager during the 2013-14 season at Manchester United. Presently, Rooney serves as the manager of Plymouth Argyle, while Moyes is unattached following his departure from West Ham.