The views of fatherly figure Rooney on his next move were welcome but not consistent with his desire.

Rooney flourished on the local terrain of England at Everton before becoming Manchester United’s record goalscorer and the sense of familiarity was an ingredient he believed would serve this 19-year-old best.

"I think he should have stayed here, kept learning to play the game here then he really has a chance,” he said as the move to Italian club Udinese loomed.

“It is always difficult for a young player to go abroad."

Speaking as he was about his protégé he branded a potential superstar, the Rams boss was well-intentioned, yet found his recommendation met with civil disobedience.

“Yeah, I did discuss the move with him,” said Ebosele this week, in camp for Ireland’s final Euro qualifier in the Netherlands on Saturday.

“He asked that I consider all my options. And I did that but still felt Udinese was the best one for me.” Ebosele is not a history buff but he possessed the fortitude to create some.

Robbie Keane in 2000 ended a 14-year famine of the Irish in Serie A since Liam Brady’s departure and here was a Wexford man breaking a 22-year drought. His former manager in Ireland wasn’t surprised at the self-belief.

There’s been no contact from Rooney since they parted, not even a text after he earned the penalty that sealed victory at AC Milan two weeks ago, but John Bolger feels the current Birmingham City boss will, beneath his doubts, admire the independent mind of Ebosele.

“Festy has incredible confidence in his ability,” said John Bolger, who headhunted the tyro at 13 from Moyne Rangers for famous Dublin club St Joseph’s Boys.

“He’s not at all cocky. I’ve managed some players over the years whose cockiness caught up with them but Festy was always driven. He was a shy lad.”

That was clear from his media duties this week. His voice pitch didn’t alter throughout the questioning and at times the words were so softly spoken they were barely audible.

“I'm still 21 so I can't really get ahead of myself,” he said when the Brady comparison is floated.

“I hopefully have a long career ahead of me and I'm taking everything as it comes. Yes, I'm happy with what I've done but I still feel I can do more and I'm very much trying to stay on track.”

Where he has emulated Brady is by devoting time to learn the language.

Gabriele Cioffi’s arrival as manager three weeks ago in succession to the sacked Andrea Sottil eased instructions but the Wexfordman was well on his way to being fluent.

“My first manager didn’t speak any English so there was a language barrier,” he said of his initial obstacles.

“I had to learn it to talk with him but I can speak good Italian now. It’s good to be into the culture, it makes you adapt better.”

There’s been no issues with the homesickness that Rooney, and even Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, suggested as problematic. The Italians, as we know from Giovanni Trappatoni’s time as Ireland boss, are sticklers for certain aspects. Discipline is foremost.

Be tough but be fair – or just don’t get spotted – is paraphrasing the general message when tussling with the likes of Juventus, AC and Inter Milan.

“It was a disadvantage at the start as I was flying into tackles,” he joked when asked if physicality and speed complemented the traditional Italian traits.

“It took me a few good months to actually understand the difference. Serie A is more tactical. You have to be more concentrated in the games, tackling-wise, just positioning yourself and everything.

“Once I adapted to it, towards the end of last season, I was able to get more playing time and started doing well. This season, I‘ve had a full year to really know the style of play.

“Unlike back in England, there tends to be only one game per week and that definitely gives you more time on the training ground and for putting in extra sessions.”

It’s been working lately as Udinese have strode away from the drop zone. Their win at the San Siro was the first of the season and they were a stoppage-time equaliser away from following it with another against Atalanta on Sunday.

Those were two of the nine league starts he’s made this term, appearing as a sub in the other three, constituting the calibre of run Ireland lament the lack thereof for their batch of graduates in the senior fold.

Replicating his lightning dashes from wing-back club level were difficult on his first two senior caps at senior level against France and Netherlands in September.

He’s deemed a worthy right-back successor once the stranglehold of ageing pair Séamus Coleman and Matt Doherty lapses but it was a pacey merchant on the opposite position that he idolised.

“James McClean I looked up to in the Irish team because I was firstly a left-winger,” he reveals. “He was quick, liked to dribble past players and get crosses in. That's what I really liked.”

All traits that Bolger soon saw in the Joeys team he lined up in alongside future international colleagues such as Mipo Odubeko and James Furlong.

“Festy scored in his first game for us and celebrated with a few back-flips,” said one of his mentors, together with Mick Browne and Bernard Byrne.

“It was easy to see how talented this boy was – he even played in goal for us one day – but what helped him when he went to England was his super level of fitness he had.”

Derby brushed off competition from Manchester United and Chelsea to lure him to the lower leagues and he’s taken another route by moving to the Continent.

“If you’re not afraid to take a risk then definitely going abroad is brilliant,” he said about the trickle of Irish gems finally venturing beyond the traditional heartland of the UK.

“You will improve as a player in the long run. It’s tough at the start but once you get used to it, it’s very enjoyable.”

Rooney may eventually have to concur.