The Wagatha Christie trial has thrown up a number of surprises - but perhaps none moreso than the inclusion of Roy Hodgson.
Since October 2019, Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy have been embroiled in the bitter battle over the leaking of 'false stories' and have both taken to the stand at London's High Court this week.
It's a case that has thrown the worlds of football and showbiz together and now an alleged conversation between Rooney and former England manager Hodgson is in the limelight.
Giving evidence in the witness box on Tuesday, Rooney said that he had been asked to speak to Leicester striker Vardy by Hodgson and then assistant manager Gary Neville during Euro 2016.
At the time, Hodgson was asked about a possible 'rift' between his two players and gave a very revealing answer.
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The then England manager dimissed 'salacious' claims that Rebekah could be causing an unwanted distraction with her presence on social media.
Hodgson insisted that Rooney and Vardy were 'good friends' on the pitch and away from public view - asserting that there were "no problems".
Speaking during the tournament in June 2016, Hodgson said: "I haven't got a clue what you are referring to. There are absolutely no problems in football terms between Wayne Rooney and Jamie Vardy.
"In fact quite the reverse, they are very close friends, both on the field and off the field. I have got no idea what you are referring to.
"I certainly would advise Wayne to give no comment to it because it is obviously one salacious story that someone has managed to spin. It is of no interest to us."
Speaking in the witness box on Tuesday, Wayne addressed his relationship with Jamie in his own words.
When asked why he had not brought his wife's concerns up with his former England teammate, he replied: "Jamie was a teammate for the national team, he's not someone I have ever particularly been friends with on a social level."
During the sam session, Mr Rooney told the court that he was asked to speak to Mr Vardy by Mr Hodgson and Mr Neville.
He said: "They asked me, as captain, would I be able to speak to Mr Vardy on issues regarding his wife and I think we all knew that it was an awkward subject.
"I’d need to speak to Mr Vardy and ask him to speak to his wife and ask him to say to ask his wife to calm down."
Hugh Tomlinson QC, for Mrs Vardy, said: "Ask his wife to calm down? She wasn’t dancing on tables."
Mr Rooney replied: "No, she wasn’t, as far as I’m aware."
He said there had been negative media coverage, adding: "I was asked to speak to Mr Vardy by the England manager and I carried out that instruction."
Mr Rooney told the court that he recalled that Mrs Vardy was "almost there with the team" during "down time" at Euro 2016 - with her allegedly being on FaceTime with her husband throughout the tournament.
He said he "100%" spoke to Mr Vardy but did not know if Mr Vardy then spoke to his wife, explaining: "It wasn’t my place to speak to Mrs Vardy."
Under questioning from Mr Tomlinson, Mr Rooney said he did not remember him and Mr Vardy speaking to a Sun journalist.
"As England captain I would always try and protect the players in public as much as I could," Mr Rooney said.
Mrs Vardy previously told the court that her husband Jamie told her that he never had a talk with Wayne regarding her media activities causing trouble for the England squad during the Euros in 2016.
Speaking on the high court steps, Mr Vardy said: "Wayne is talking nonsense. He must be confused because he never spoke to me about issues concerning Becky’s media work at Euro 2016.
"There was nothing to speak about, I know this because I discuss everything with Becky."
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