KEVIN CAMPBELL was able to predict Wayne Rooney’s spectacular career after seeing him play just once as a 14-year-old.
An unearthed video of Campbell, who heartbreakingly passed away yesterday, shows the Everton and Arsenal legend talking about Rooney bursting on the scene as a teenager.
It was announced yesterday that Campbell had died aged 54 after battling a short illness.
And since his passing a video from 2019 has emerged of the retired centre-forward discussing Wayne Rooney.
Campbell played alongside Rooney during his days at Everton with the pair lining up at Goodison Park together between 2002 and 2004.
But it was a moment prior to their dangerous strike partnership that Campbell recalled in the clip, as he discussed the first time he ever saw Rooney play at just 14-years-old.
Speaking on the Under the Cosh podcast, he harked back to a teenage Rooney dominating in a reserve game.
He said: “I got on the coach and I saw this kid, ears out here and stuff, and I thought he was one of the coaching staff’s son or nephew.
“I didn’t know who he was, he was a baby!
“So we get to the stadium, he’s in the dressing room getting changed.
“I’m thinking ‘what’s going on here?’ Taff [former Everton reserve manager Andy Holden] just said ‘he’s starting’.
“I just looked at Andy, I said ‘what the f***?!’ We’re playing against Southport, men.
“I said ‘where does he play?’ and he said ‘he’s playing up front with you’.
“I said ‘b*******’! He said, ‘Kev, treat him like you would a first team player’.”
Despite Campbell being sceptical at first, he was quick to change his opinion when he saw a young Wazza with the ball at his feet.
He added: “The game has started, hat comes off, mate. At 14, I’d never seen anything like it mate.
“Football brain, touch, power, pace. They were trying to hit him and just bouncing off him.
“I was thinking ‘what the f*** is this?’ He’s 14 years old! He’s bouncing big, non-league, hairy-a** centre halves, he’s bouncing them, twisting them up, playing one-twos.
“He scored two goals in the first half. He’s got the ball, he’s passed to me, I’ve put it in the space, he’s outpaced them, bang, bottom corner. Looked over at Taff. He went ‘I told you!’.”
Campbell continued to gush about Rooney’s talent before explaining that when he was substituted off, he made a point of sticking around on the bench just to marvel at the teenager’s skills.
He explained: “I scored one, he put me through with an eye of a needle pass.
“What can’t he do? F****** hell! Then the next one he powers his way through, bang, top corner.
Arsenal: 1998-95, 163 appearances, 46 goals
Leyton Orient (loan): 1989, 16 appearances, 9 goals
Leicester City (loan): 1989, 11 appearances, 5 goals
Nottingham Forest: 1995-98, 77 appearances, 31 goals
Trabsonzpor: 1998-99, 18 appearances, 5 goals
Everton: 1998-05, 151 appearances, 39 goals
West Brom: 2004-06, 49 appearances, 6 goals
Total: 521 appearances, 149 goals
Honours: Arsenal – Division One (1991), FA Cup (1993), League Cup (1993), Community Shield (1991), European Cup Winners’ Cup (1994)
Nottingham Forest – Football League First Division (1998)
“I [go and] sit on the bench, mate, because what I’m witnessing…
“They move him from striker to wide left. Spraying balls like you wouldn’t believe, I looked at Taff, Taff looked at me, and we both just shook our heads.”
Campbell even recalled heading back to training the next day and telling the rest of the first team to watch out for a young Wayne Rooney coming through the ranks, labelling him as “f****** frightening”.
It’s safe to say that Campbell was right in his assumptions about how good Rooney would turn out to be.
The 38-year-old went on to play 48 times alongside Campbell for Everton before securing a move to Manchester United where he became the Red Devils’ all-time top goalscorer.
While he is also England‘s most capped outfield player and previously held the Three Lions’ goal scoring record until Harry Kane broke it last year.
Rooney paid tribute to his former teammate after learning the news of his passing yesterday.
The new Plymouth boss took to X to write: “Absolutely devastated to hear the news about Kev. Thinking of all his family and friends.
“Kev was a great team mate but more importantly a brilliant person who helped me a lot in my earlier years.”
Tributes from all over the football world poured in for Campbell following the anouncement of his death.
Arsenal icons Ian Wright and Tony Adams shared their thoughts, while Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer took a moment to remember Campbell during the BBC’s coverage of Euro 2024.
