Harry Redknapp: Wayne Rooney behaviour "out of order"

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 20 November 2016

Harry Redknapp insists that Wayne Rooney let down England manager Gareth Southgate when drinking into the early hours of the morning last weekend.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has slammed England skipper Wayne Rooney's "out of order" behaviour and claimed that players should be categorically banned from drinking.

The Manchester United forward was pictured partying into the early hours of the morning at the team's Grove Hotel base in Watford following the Three Lions' victory over Scotland.

Many former and current pros have defended Rooney's antics, insisting that players have the right to enjoy a drink in their spare time, but Redknapp has a different view entirely and believes that the 31-year-old let down national team boss Gareth Southgate by failing to abide by his rules.

"I'm a big Rooney fan he's a great lad, great player and does so much off the field but for me he was out of order," he told The Sun. "I wouldn't let them go out drinking. You can't say to footballers 'OK, lads go and have one or two drinks' because once they get the flavour, they're out.

"I've had it a million times, after the Christmas party the next day as a manager you wake up and you seen your players pictured lying on the floor or getting thrown out of nightclubs drunk as sacks. I wouldn't let them go out. Gareth Southgate has got to say 'lads, when you're put with the England team we can't afford this type of behaviour.

"You are not going out drinking, you're here to prepare'. It undermined is authority and no manager in their right minds wants that. Could you imagine the Italian players going out on the booze until five in the morning, I don't think they do. How must Gareth Southgate have felt when he woke up and saw what went on, he must have been absolutely sick."

Rooney responded to the controversy surrounding his behaviour on Saturday evening, accusing the media of being "disgraceful".