Jamie Carragher has explained how he first met Wayne Rooney, even before the pair came to blows on the football pitch.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher tells what Wayne Rooney said to him at a nightclub before he became famous.
Jamie Carragher has detailed the circumstances behind his first meeting with Wayne Rooney, which sparked a nearly 20-year rivalry between the two.
Carragher, an Everton supporter in his boyhood, rose through Liverpool’s academy and the rest, as they say, is history. On the other hand, Rooney stayed true to his roots as a kid, breaking onto the scene as a 16-year-old at Goodison Park before moving on to Manchester United and establishing a career primarily with the Reds’ two biggest rivals.
Now, the Anfield legend has revealed how he first met his fellow Liverpool player. It wasn’t on the field for the first time in the 0-0 Merseyside derby tie in December 2002, but rather in a Merseyside nightclub of all places.
‘Carra’ was in the process of picking an all-time greatest Scouse team when he spoke to host Andy Roach on a new episode of The Scouse House podcast. He insinuated there was only one option as he built up to his first striker of choice. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher tells what Wayne Rooney said to him at a nightclub before he became famous.
“Wayne Rooney’s got to go in, of course,” he said, before being asked if Rooney was a “street footballer.” “I believe so [he is a’street footballer’].” David Moyes stated in an interview that even when he was in the first team, he would go home after games and play football in the street, but he was still just 16, wasn’t he?
“As I previously stated, Stevie [Steven Gerrard] is the best player on this team, but it’s a coin flip.” To have two players of that calibre come from this city is quite remarkable. They are, in my opinion, the two best English players in the last 30-40 years.”
Roach then enquired as to what the defender-turned-pundit knew about his potential adversary in the days before breaking into David Moyes’ plans at the age of 16. Carragher went on to reveal that their first meeting occurred on a night out, and given that he is nearly seven years Rooney’s senior and had been active in Premier League football for six years, surely some laws were broken that night… But let’s not dive into the specifics.
“To be honest, I’d heard his name a little bit, but he introduced himself to me,” Carragher went on. “This happened in a nightclub – in the State – in the State nightclub.” I must have been around 20, and he must have been around 14! He approached me.”
“What did he say?” asked Roach.
“He was quite funny. ‘I’m Rooney, watch out for me’. I don’t know, it was something like that, it was along them lines but he was just being his typical, mischievous self, but he was a typical Scouser – on the front foot, fancied himself, and why not when you’ve got ability like that?”
Along with Rooney, Carragher chose several Reds and Blues graduates to round out his all-time Scouse XI. Tommy Lawrence (GK), Trent Alexander-Arnold (RB), himself (CB), Phil Thompson (CB), Ian Callaghan (RM), Gerrard (CM) as captain of the hypothetical side, Steve McManaman (LM), and Rob Fowler (ST) were all from Anfield.
He chose Leighton Baines (LB), Peter Reid (CM), and, of course, Rooney (ST) from Goodison Park.
“What makes you think Liverpool has so many good football players?” At the end of that segment, Roach questioned his guest.
“I believe there are two reasons,” Carragher responded. The first reason is that we have an unrivalled passion for the game in the country – I truly believe this.
“I believe that every father in the city who has a son dreams of his son playing for Liverpool or Everton, and I don’t believe that will ever change.” Those football clubs will always develop players from the ranks.
“I also believe the actual characters and personalities of people from this city, which I mentioned earlier.” We advocate for ourselves, we believe in ourselves, we will always play an important position in a team, and you will always be acknowledged. Make an impression on others, and I believe we do in the main, in the city where we are from.”
READ NEXT:
