Coleen Rooney breaks silence on long-distance relationship struggle with Wayne
Coleen Rooney, wife of football icon Wayne Rooney, knows all about the challenges of balancing family and work like a modern-day Superwoman. Juggling life as the mother of four boys, a successful businesswoman, and managing a bustling household single-handedly while Wayne spearheads Plymouth Argyle in Devon, Coleen's schedule is anything but relaxed.
In a candid chat, Coleen delves into the details of maintaining their two-decade-long love story despite the distance. Speaking with heartfelt transparency, she shares: "We see him a couple of times a week, which is good. He went to America, so this is a bonus because even though it seems like far away, it's easier to get to than Washington, DC."
Ever practical when it comes to family logistics, she reveals: "There's lots of FaceTime and he always phones when we're going out of the door in the morning. I'm like, 'Just wait till we're in the car. I've got no time.'"
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Explaining why they haven't uprooted from Cheshire to be closer to Wayne, Coleen, 38, says family concerns were paramount: "We thought long and hard about it (moving to Devon) but with the kids it didn't work.", reports the Mirror.
"Kai's now in year 10 and just starting GCSE prep and everything's going well with football, and the other boys are all settled at school, so it didn't seem fair on the children to pick them up and take them away, and start in a whole new place. It's manageable. It's life. Other couples and families have similar situations and have to get on with it."
She says she's mastered the art of multitasking. "I've got a house of four boys. Well, five boys," she chuckles, referencing Wayne with a playful nudge.
"It is hectic. The key thing is I'm really organised. Preparation is key and just to make sure everything's done beforehand. I think that is my main strength."
Coleen light-heartedly dismisses rumours about sending nutritional parcels to Wayne. She recounts: "My mum said that to me last night. I was like, 'Oh no, I've got no time to do that for him when I've got all those kids at home."
For Coleen and Wayne, together time often means hitting up a concert or simply lounging on the couch catching up.
Coleen reveals: "We love a concert. That's probably one of our favourite things to do, just us or with friends."
In 2022, Wayne Rooney shared a snapshot on Instagram with his wife Coleen and pop sensation Ed Sheeran, captioning it: "Ed Sheeran... class as always. Brilliant concert."
Coleen Rooney opened up about their simple pleasures, saying, "We also like a night in just sitting in front of the telly, catching up on things. We always try to make time for each other, no matter what. We've always done that and I think that's what has kept a good ongoing relationship."
When asked if they indulge in romantic gestures after time apart, Coleen laughed it off, saying, "We're past that! " Having been catapulted into fame at a young age due to Wayne's burgeoning football career, Liverpool-born Coleen had to mature quickly, facing numerous public challenges alongside her husband.
Coleen emerged victorious from the high-profile Wagatha Christie libel case, after which she sought solace with her family, who have been her rock. Reflecting on her resilience, she stated, "I'm quite strong minded and I've been able to cope with stress, mentally in the past and into the present. I'm lucky with that,".
She stressed the importance of a supportive circle, especially given her early brush with fame. "It's always been important for me to have good people around me. Being in the spotlight since I was 16, now looking at it, my eldest is nearly 15. At the time, I didn't think it was young but it was very young. I don't know whether I would've got through it without a strong unit around me."
Coleen Rooney reflected on her support system, saying: "I'm really lucky I have got that and it is important to have people you can trust and you can confide in. That's been my strength going through it."
As she looks at her son Kai, nearing 15, she sees echoes of her own youth, particularly recalling the iconic image of herself at 16, fresh from school in her uniform.
She was thrust into the limelight as the girlfriend of England's rising football star the teenager who seized the nation's attention with a last-minute winning goal for Everton against Arsenal.
Reflecting on those times, Coleen shared: "I was wise for my age but I had to grow up quick. I wouldn't say I am more protective of him (Kai), I would say it opens your eyes that things can happen young and to make them aware. When Wayne was coming up, he wasn't on social media, whereas now there's a lot more of that and that's where you've got to prepare the kids for if they do go on to be successful."
She added: "But the football academy they are in, and school as well, they have workshops and they prepare the kids for what you should and shouldn't do on social media. It's always good to nip in the bud earlier than later."
With past challenges behind her, Coleen is now looking towards the future.
She beams with pride at every mention of her sons Kai, 14, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six. Eagerly sharing their hobbies, she reveals to us: "They're very sporty but my younger two enjoy music. One is learning guitar, the other piano and both of them drums. The two older ones are football-mad and my eldest loves speaking Spanish at the minute and is into this Spanish rap. So he's doing that all over the house. The house is even noisier."
Kai and Klay have joined the ranks of Manchester Utd's academy. Coleen discusses what it's like for them trying to emulate one of the world's most renowned footballers: "We've never pressured them into even playing football. We've always just let them decide what they want to do."
"My eight-year-old was playing and doing really well but then decided he didn't want to, and that's OK. I think they sometimes get pressure off other people, you know. People approach them now and then if we're out, they do say, 'Are you are as good as your dad? '."
"Kai says 'I'm a different type of player.' You've got to let them know that you don't have to follow and to be your own person."
With a busy schedule ahead, Coleen is also the new ambassador for Liverpool-based supplements brand Applied Nutrition. She's set to be the face of its latest campaign and shares: "Applied Nutrition are fantastic quality and just make you feel better. Next year, we're looking at bringing out my own range with them, which is so exciting. The range will be based on the needs of females."
"It's really important for women to look after themselves. A lot of us have a busy lifestyle, whether it be looking after children, working, life is hectic for most people. I used to skip breakfast, so now I'll have a protein shake every morning and I'll include the collagen in that. It gives me energy and also we all want to look young forever."