Wayne Rooney has given Celtic a surprise mention earlier today in a quip that will definitely pique the interest of supporters.
The 38-year-old is a known admirer of the Hoops despite never pulling on the famous green and white; however, he did play in Glasgow’s east end during his time with Manchester United, and he also represented England at Parkhead against Scotland in 2014.
Since retiring from playing, Rooney has gone on to manage Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City before landing his new role in charge of Plymouth Argyle last week.
Expressing his fondness for Celtic, Rooney revealed his strong affinity for the club in an interview with official channels before the Three Lions’ 3-1 victory over Scotland in 2014.
He stated [Celtic FC]: “My family and I have always followed Celtic, since I was a boy anyway, so my kids have all got Celtic kits and I always look out for the scores.”
Intriguingly, Rooney made another observation about the Bhoys in a recent interview, further exemplifying his affiliation with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions.
Wayne Rooney wishes he played for Celtic
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, Rooney named Celtic as the club he wished he played for during his career in a series of 53 questions. Firstly, Neville asked Rooney: ” (Who is) The club you wish you’d played for in your career?”
Rooney replied, stating: “Celtic, I’d say.” Neville then finished the exchange, saying: “Celtic? Celtic fans, you missed out there.”
Seeing Rooney turn out for Celtic would’ve been quite something. After all, he was one of the greatest players to grace the Premier League since its inception in 1992.
Per Transfermarkt, he hit 253 goals and registered 139 assists in 559 appearances for Manchester United, which tells its own story. Meanwhile, the Liverpool-born legend also scored 53 times in 120 outings at international level.
Unfortunately, Rooney turning out for Celtic at Parkhead never happened; nevertheless, one can only imagine the type of damage he would’ve caused playing in Scotland.