While she may have spent last week celebrating alongside husband Wayne, Coleen Rooney is already facing secret heartache as she prepares to spend weeks apart from her husband.
After months of waiting, the verdict in her libel case with Rebekah Vardy was finally announced last week. Coleen was victorious with Judge Justice Steyn concluding that the original social media post from the 36 year old, which accused Becky of leaking stories to the press was “substantially true”.
In a statement released to the press, Coleen said she was “pleased” with the ruling but was keen to point out she had never wanted to go to court.
“It was not a case I ever sought or wanted,” she stated. “I never believed it should have gone to court at such expense in times of hardship for so many people when the money could have been far better spent helping others. Both before and after my social media posts in October 2019, I made every effort to avoid the need for such a drawn out and public court case. All my attempts to do so were knocked back by Mrs [Rebekah] Vardy. This left me with no alternative but to go through with the case to defend myself and to end the repeated leaking of my private information to The Sun.”
She went on to say she felt no “ill-will” towards Becky but there’s no denying the last three years have been emotional for the Rooneys. In fact, Wayne’s strength and support during the difficult trial has brought the couple even closer together – so much so they had even discussed having baby number fiveafter a planned summer of romance and family time.
However, with Wayne commencing his new role as manager for the US soccer club, D.C. United, and reports that the BBC and ITV are currently involved in a “tug-of-war” over signing Wayne as a pundit for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, it seems the Rooneys will be split apart for the foreseeable future.
If Wayne was to sign a rumoured “very lucrative” deal with a major TV network, it would mean finishing the American Soccer season in October, before flying to the Middle East for the launch of the World Cup in November.
The sporting event could be a huge turning point in Wayne’s career and prove a stepping stone into more TV work, but it won’t come without a heavy sacrifice for Wayne or Coleen – who are parents to Kai, 12, Klay, nine, Kit, six, and four-year-old Cass – as it’s unlikely he’ll go home for six months, returning just a week before Christmas.
Now, a source tells Closer that while Coleen is happy for Wayne and knows he is better at staying on the straight and narrow while he’s working, she’s still sad at spending such a long spell apart during a time she feels they have become closer than ever.
The source says, “Coleen is torn over the fact Wayne could be heading to Qatar in December. She was counting down the days until the season ended in America so she would get Wayne back, but now she’s not getting him back as he’ll be away again for weeks. So it’s just another new crisis. However she does realise this is a great opportunity for Wayne and he has loved the TV work he’s done in the past.”
The family previously upped sticks and moved to Washington DCin 2018, when Wayne accepted a contract to play for the team he is now managing.
But while all four boys are now at school in the UK during term time, text exchanges sent from Coleen to former friend Rebekah during the family’s US stint four years ago revealed how the mum-of-four had also “cried every night” from “homesickness”. She wrote, “Not loads for the kids to do, mostly park, hardly any soft plays or anything like that. It’s quite behind the UK, which I never would have thought.”
And while Coleen was adamant that she would not relocate this time, a source recently revealed to Closer how the tough decision had been plagued by worry following Wayne’s previous misdemeanours.
During their 2018 stay, Wayne was photographed sharing a lift with a woman following a 10-hour drinking session, and was later arrested by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police, after taking sleeping pills and drinking on a flight from Saudi Arabia.
The source adds, “Coleen does trust Wayne again, but after so many incidents in the past, it is understandable that she feels uneasy at letting him return.”
Coleen was also thought to be speaking with her brother Joe, to ask him join Wayne as his unofficial “babysitter”.
However, last week insiders revealed Wayne has been working “night and day” in his demanding new role, and that the doting dad will be joined by the family shortly when the boys are on school holidays.