saurabh
09-04-2006, 12:40 PM
http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics05_06/Premiership/ManUtd/rooney_england.jpg
England striker Wayne Rooney is alleged to have racked up £700,000 of gambling debts in a betting ring involving some of his international teammates.
The Manchester United striker, who earns a basic wage of £60,000 per week and has a host of sponsorship deals, is claimed to have accumulated the debt betting on other sports and football matches he wasn't involved in.
The betting ring is said to involve Michael Owen, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand and it is claimed that the money has lead to ill-feeling between the players.
"The debts have caused a lot of friction between certain players as the betting started out as a bit of harmless fun run by Owen to pass the time but it has spiralled into something very serious," an England insider told the Sunday Mirror.
"Rooney being young and naive started with hundreds of pounds which soon became thousands of pounds and then became tens of thousands of pounds and by Christmas he realised he was in trouble and was being chased to settle his account."
The money was reportedly placed with a friend of Owen's, Stephen Smith, who runs the Goldchip private bookmakers.
Goldchip is said to have started legal proceedings to collect Rooney's debts and the Football Association has said that England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will talk to the players involved.
"The FA is not aware of any problems in the England team dressing room due to issues surrounding gambling or anything else and under Sven Goran Eriksson the England team have enjoyed a fantastic spirit within the camp," FA spokesman Adrian Bevington said.
"We believe Sven will speak to the players allegedly involved to clarify the facts as it's important the fans know that everyone connected to the England team is determined to do all they can to achieve success in Germany."
The World Cup starts on June 9th, with England's first game against Paraguay on June 10th.
(From today's British newspapers.)
England striker Wayne Rooney is alleged to have racked up £700,000 of gambling debts in a betting ring involving some of his international teammates.
The Manchester United striker, who earns a basic wage of £60,000 per week and has a host of sponsorship deals, is claimed to have accumulated the debt betting on other sports and football matches he wasn't involved in.
The betting ring is said to involve Michael Owen, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand and it is claimed that the money has lead to ill-feeling between the players.
"The debts have caused a lot of friction between certain players as the betting started out as a bit of harmless fun run by Owen to pass the time but it has spiralled into something very serious," an England insider told the Sunday Mirror.
"Rooney being young and naive started with hundreds of pounds which soon became thousands of pounds and then became tens of thousands of pounds and by Christmas he realised he was in trouble and was being chased to settle his account."
The money was reportedly placed with a friend of Owen's, Stephen Smith, who runs the Goldchip private bookmakers.
Goldchip is said to have started legal proceedings to collect Rooney's debts and the Football Association has said that England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will talk to the players involved.
"The FA is not aware of any problems in the England team dressing room due to issues surrounding gambling or anything else and under Sven Goran Eriksson the England team have enjoyed a fantastic spirit within the camp," FA spokesman Adrian Bevington said.
"We believe Sven will speak to the players allegedly involved to clarify the facts as it's important the fans know that everyone connected to the England team is determined to do all they can to achieve success in Germany."
The World Cup starts on June 9th, with England's first game against Paraguay on June 10th.
(From today's British newspapers.)