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Wayne Rooney's first experience as the coach of the MLS All-Star team was not a pleasant one, as he saw his side lose 5-0 to Arsenal in a friendly match. The former Manchester United and England star was unhappy with several aspects of the game, including the preparation, the refereeing, and the treatment of his staff by Apple TV, the host broadcaster. MLS has now completely denied Rooney’s statements saying it is ‘not true’.
Rooney claimed that his staff was ejected from their seats at Audi Field in Washington DC by members of Apple TV, who had signed a 10-year global rights deal with MLS worth $2.5 billion. He said that Apple TV had been great for the league, but not for his team on the day.
"Apple coming into the league has been great although they didn’t allow my staff to sit in their seats today," Rooney had revealed, "My staff got kicked out of their seats today by members of Apple."
However, MLS has issued a blunt statement denying Rooney's claim and saying that it is not true."It is not true that any members of Apple's staff were seated in the technical area during last night's Major League Soccer All-Star Game," a league spokesman said.
Apple TV did not comment on the matter, but they have been praised for their innovative and immersive coverage of MLS games, using 18 cameras, four 'super slow-motion cameras,' a Skycam, and a drone. They are also set to broadcast Lionel Messi's expected debut for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul on Friday evening.
Rooney also criticized the performance of the referee who booked six players in the game, and the level of officiating in MLS in general. The DC United boss had also admitted that he learned 'absolutely nothing' from the game, as he had minimal time to work with his 28-man squad, which featured players from around MLS.
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Rooney said that he had no time to do any tactics and that he could only hope that the players could figure things out against a team like Arsenal, who are one of the best sides in Europe. Arsenal, who are preparing for their Premier League campaign, scored five goals through Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho, Gabriel Martinelli, and new signing Kai Havertz. Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber also made their debuts for the Gunners who will continue their pre-season tour in the US with their next match against Manchester United.
