The Manchester City boss did not want to wade into the Wayne Rooney controversy but did say players should be responsible for their actions.

Pep Guardiola was careful not to be critical of Wayne Rooney in the wake of the Manchester United striker’s post-match drinking session, not least because the City boss admits he himself has also been drunk on international duty.

Rooney has been severely criticised by some after he was photographed while seemingly heavily inebriated at England’s hotel in the wake of their victory against Scotland last weekend.

It has also been suggested that he will be stripped of the England captaincy as a result of his actions, although a number of his international team-mates were said to have partied until the early hours away from the team base.

But when asked about the situation at his Friday press conference, Guardiola was keen not to be drawn into the ongoing controversy, although he did say it is the player’s own responsibility, just as it was when he got drunk during his career.

“I was an international player during my time as a player and sometimes I was drunk as well,” he said. “I was lucky there were no pictures. You [journalists] have drunk as well. I was responsible, you are responsible, Wayne is responsible as well.

“I don’t think the Association has to be responsible about that. We are people, we are old enough to take our responsibilities. But it’s the private life. You have to respect absolutely what other people do.”

He added: “I don’t like when people comment about my private life, I will not comment about the private life of other people. I have a lot of respect for Wayne Rooney, about his career, as a human being. Private life is the private life, I don’t have comments about that.

“I am responsible for what I do, it’s not the responsibility of Manchester City.”


“All the players came back good, fit. The players who played 90 minutes are tired, especially the South American players, but that is normal and tomorrow we are going to decide

source:goal.com