Eamon Dunphy says he has sympathy for the "foolish" Wayne Rooney and believes the former Manchester United player is struggling personally with non-football matters.
Rooney made a playing return to Old Trafford on Sunday where his Everton team suffered a 4-0 defeat in the Premier League.
While the Toffees have been struggling in the early stages of the season, the former England striker has courted bigger headlines off the field of play.
Rooney has apologised for his "unforgivable lack of judgement" after pleading guilty to a drink-driving charge.
He was banned from driving for two years and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.
Rooney cut a lonely figure spearheading the Everton attack on Sunday and speaking to 2fm’s Game On programme, the RTÉ soccer analyst says he has sympathy for the 31-year-old despite the "foolish" indiscretion.
"He’s obviously in a pretty bad place."
"Wayne Rooney did okay [against United]," he told listeners.
"I feel really sorry over what has happened to him at the moment because of a personal indiscretion.
"He’s obviously in a pretty bad place...He was foolish."
Only Bournemouth and Crystal Palace sit below the Merseysiders in the table and Dunphy says the big turnover in playing personnel has impacted their progress.
"Change should be gradual in an ideal world. At the back they have three guys who are over 30 in Ashley Williams, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines.
"That’s three at the back who have seen their best days."
He is backing manager Ronald Koeman to turn things around after spending heavily during the summer to improve the squad, off-set somewhat by the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Man United.
"I think Koeman will get it right. Again you see a manager who is prepared to pay a little price for what he believes in. He believes in the players he has brought in.
"Well see as the season progresses how they get on."
