PALIN MITENK BLOG

By Katie Nicholl

Cheering on her man: Coleen Rooney watched her husband on the big screen at home in Merseyside


She could have been enjoying the luxury of a five-star hotel in South Africa but Wayne Rooney’s wife Coleen watched England’s first match at the 2010 World Cup in her parents’ back garden on Merseyside.

Coleen, 24, joined her family and 30 of their friends for a barbecue and watched the game against the USA on a plasma TV screen.

The new mother and other WAGs have chosen to stay in the UK at the request of England manager Fabio Capello who wants the team to remain entirely focused on football during the tournament.

Coleen’s father, bricklayer Tony, and her mother, nursery nurse Colette, pulled out the stops for last night’s barbecue.


A marquee was delivered to the house on Friday afternoon and the family apparently shopped for food at the budget supermarket Costco.

‘They watched it like everyone else in the country – while enjoying a few beers and some sausages and hamburgers on the barbecue, although they did arrange to have professional caterers,’ a friend told The Mail on Sunday.

‘Wayne usually does the barbecuing but seeing as he was otherwise engaged, they decided to make life easy and get some help. Most of the extended family were invited.’

A source close to Coleen, who has a son, Kai, with Rooney, said: ‘This is one of Wayne’s biggest matches, but Coleen thinks she has made the right decision by not travelling to South Africa.

‘The travel logistics were a nightmare and with a little baby in tow, she decided the best thing was to stay at home.’

Coleen’s decision to stay at home meant that she spent her second wedding anniversary yesterday 6,000 miles away from her husband.

‘Wayne made sure he got her on the phone first thing on Saturday to wish her a very happy anniversary,’ said a friend of the couple. They will celebrate when Wayne gets back.

‘They are both hoping that it will be an even bigger celebration and Wayne will be coming home with the cup.’


Big bash: The McLoughlin family erected a huge marquee in the garden of their Liverpool home


Although he did not leave an anniversary gift behind for his wife, Wayne left eight-month-old Kai a special present.

‘Wayne had a special version of his England shirt made up for Kai,’ the source said. ‘It’s very cute and Coleen has said that Kai will be wearing it when England play. She has joked that she’s not sure who is the best dribbler, Kai or his dad.’

Coleen has also offered to host at least one World Cup party at the couple’s house in
Cheshire.

‘Coleen would love the other girls like Alex Curran and Carly Zucker [Joe Cole’s wife] to come over,’ the source said.


Where's your England shirt? Steven Gerrard's wife Alex Curran picking up a coffee in Southport shortly before kick-off on Saturday


England captain Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex Curran, 27, was also said to be staging a barbecue last night for friends at their mansion down the road.

At the last World Cup in Germany four years ago the WAGs caused a commotion with their shopping trips in the smart town of Baden Baden and were regarded as a distraction.

Some even blamed them for the team’s exit in the quarter-finals. But unlike his predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson, England’s no-nonsense Italian coach Capello has taken a tough line on the WAGs – even banning them from a warm-up game.

One WAG who has ignored Capello’s request not to travel is Emile Heskey’s partner, Chantelle Tagoe, 27, who flew out to South Africa from Heathrow on Friday


Long WAG: Emile Heskey's fiancée Chantelle Tagoe, at Heathrow on Friday, is one of the only England WAGs in South Africa at this stage


But most of the other WAGs have said they will stay at home unless England progress past the group stage.

Coleen has said that if England reach the semi-finals, she may fly out to support her husband.

John Terry’s wife Toni plans to fly out if England reach the quarter-finals, Alex Curran will attend the semi-finals if England are playing and Peter Crouch’s partner Abbey Clancy will travel if the team contest the final.

The WAG line-up has changed somewhat since the last World Cup. Frank Lampard has a new partner – One Show hostess Christine Bleakley, who has been dating the midfielder since his split with Elen Rivas, the mother of his two daughters.

And Ashley and Cheryl Cole have recently split up in acrimonious fashion. But despite her busy schedule with X Factor auditions in Glasgow, I’m told Cheryl Cole sent the defender a good luck text before last night’s game.


The way they were: Rooney with Cheryl Cole (left) and Victoria Beckham (right) at the 2006 World Cup in Nuremberg, Germany


source: dailymail