'Business as usual' for Rooney (From Hampshire Chronicle)

'Business as usual' for Rooney

3:11am Monday 6th September 2010 in

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Wayne Rooney's career will not be affected by allegations about his private life, publicist Max Clifford has said.

Despite the lurid headlines in two Sunday newspapers, Rooney is set to travel to Switzerland on Monday for England's Euro qualifier.

Team-mate James Milner said he expects the striker to continue performing for the national side and Mr Clifford said as long as he keeps scoring goals the fans will not care.

Mr Clifford said: "The only thing Wayne Rooney has to worry about is his wife, whether she like all the others, is prepared to accept her husband's alleged infidelities. Nobody in football gives a monkey's as long as he's winning on the pitch.

"Man United fans love him. He could be a mass murderer as long as he's scoring goals.

"(England manager Fabio) Capello can't demote him because that would mean he couldn't play and the team needs him. Rival fans will have something else to shout about, but so what?"

Earlier, a spokesman for electronic game firm EA Sports, one of Rooney's sponsors, said: "This is a personal matter and we respect Wayne and his family's privacy. We have worked together for six years and Wayne continues to represent EA Sports. We will be making no further comment at this time."

A press conference ahead of England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland was dominated by questions about the allegations.

The News of the World said Rooney paid more than a thousand pounds a time to have sex with a prostitute while his wife Coleen was pregnant with their first child.

Manchester City midfielder Milner said it was business as usual for the squad and Rooney took part in the full training session.