Simon Jordan says Wayne Rooney was ‘silly’ to admit trying to ‘hurt’ and ‘injure’ opponents with long studs, as Football Association contact Derby boss over comments

Simon Jordan has branded Wayne Rooney 'silly' after it was revealed the Football Association have contacted the Derby boss for comments he made about injuring an opposition player.

In a recent interview, Rooney admitted to changing his studs to "big, long metal ones to try and hurt someone" ahead of Manchester United's Premier League match at Chelsea in 2006.

3

"We knew if Chelsea won then they had won the league that day," said Rooney of the April 2006 trip to Stamford Bridge, where United would go on to lose 3-0.

"Until my last game for Derby, I always wore the old plastic studs with the metal tip. For that game I changed them to big, long metal ones - the maximum length you could have because I wanted to try and hurt someone, try and injure someone.

"I knew they were going to win that game. You could feel they were a better team at the time so I changed my studs.

"The studs were legal but thinking if there's a challenge there I knew I'd want to go in for it properly, basically. I did actually.

"John Terry left the stadium on crutches. I left a hole in his foot and then I signed my shirt to him after the game…and a few weeks later I sent it to him and asked for my stud back.

"If you look back when they were celebrating, JT's got his crutches from that tackle."

Most read in Football

Tottenham Hotspur in major blow as club fear key man is set for lengthy spell on sidelines

Harry Kane leads boozy Bundesliga celebrations as he sings iconic song for first time

Cole Palmer apologises over X-rated interview after ending Liverpool's seven-year record

Leeds chairman confirms future of boss Daniel Farke - 24 hours after Championship glory

3

It is understood that the FA has moved to seek observations from the 36-year-old following his controversial comments.

Responding to Rooney's comments, Terry tweeted with a number of laughing emojis: "Is this when you left your stud in my foot?"

Jordan didn't suggest Rooney should be given a retrospective punishment but believes this admission by the Rams boss was a 'silly' move.

Discussing why Rooney revealed this to the media, Jordan said: "I think it's more in keeping with his Amazon documentary. He's doing something in the public domain, doing media stuff again and it's a story that has some financial benefit to him.

"But this is silly. This is not a good look, this is not the reasonable way for someone to behave when managing a football club.

3

"The tales of the locker room can remain the tales of the locker room... I remember many players having issues with other players. I remember Ian Wright having an issue with Peter Schmeichel and it finding itself on the pitch and repeating itself.

"I don't know what goes through this young man's mind. He's in a situation where he's being applauded now, he's in charge of a team that's punching above its weight and may just be able to stay in the Championship against all odds.

"Everything people think they know of Wayne Rooney, me included, is systematically being dismantled.

"This is a classic case of engaging your mouth before engaging your mind. Why do you think you need to be Jack Dash in the room telling these stories that engage the journalists?"