Wayne and Coleen Rooney have opened up about the difficult moment their youngest son was released by Everton's academy. Eight-year-old Cass Rooney had been part of the Everton academy after joining at Under-7 level, but his parents were told he would not be continuing with the club as he approached the Under-9 age group.
The decision was particularly difficult for Cass because of his love for Everton, with the youngster also having a season ticket at the club.
Emotional moment on The Therapy Crouch
Speaking on the Therapy Crouch podcast with Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, Coleen revealed how emotional the moment was when she broke the news to her son.
"The youngest one, he got let go," Coleen said. "That was the hardest thing."
"Because the older two had been there and stayed there at United, Cass was at Everton. It was only Under-7s and he is a massive Evertonian, so he's got a season ticket and he loves Everton. So, the fact that he was there was everything to him."
Coleen said the family were aware that a decision was coming because of the size of the academy squad and the progression into the Under-9 age group.
"We knew he wasn't going to stay because he wasn't one of the stronger ones there and the day came when we got the phone call," she added.
Breaking the news to Cass
Coleen explained that she then asked Wayne to be the one to tell Cass, before ultimately breaking the news herself while he was at home.
"I phoned him [Wayne] and I was like, 'You're going to have to tell him,' and then I had a moment before he [Wayne] came in and he [Cass] was on his own in the house.
"I was like, 'Cass, I've had a call and you're not going to be going into the next [year at Everton]' and he threw his head into his hands and he just burst out crying."
But the former England and Manchester United striker was keen to put the setback into perspective for his son. Wayne, who himself came through Everton's academy before making his senior debut at 16, reminded Cass that being released at such a young age does not mean the end of a footballing dream.
Wayne's advice and Cass's recovery
"If you think about, anything really, even in school, you have people in higher sets, that's part of life isn't it?" he said.
"In football, the amount of players we've played with who maybe don't make it at Man United, Everton or Liverpool, but then they go and play elsewhere, so there's opportunity to have a career."
The former Manchester United manager also pointed out that Cass has plenty of time to develop.
"And you forget, they're so young," Wayne said. "I said to him, 'I didn't join Everton's academy until I was nine, so actually you've got loads of time. Enjoy playing football and if it comes, it comes.'"
Cass continues to play football at grassroots level following his departure from Everton's academy. Coleen revealed that despite his initial heartbreak, he quickly bounced back from the disappointment.
"He was on the phone straight away to my mum and dad saying, 'Everton have released me,'" she said.
Wayne and Coleen have four sons; Kai, Klay, Kit and Cass. Their eldest, Kai, is currently part of Manchester United's academy, while Klay is also on the books at Old Trafford.
