Wayne Rooney facing last chance saloon at Plymouth as Man Utd legend bids to save his managerial career
IT’S Roo or die time down at Plymouth.
So said every Argyle fan who SunSport spoke to on a two-day trip to the South-West last weekend.
Wayne Rooney is being tipped as the next former England star to end up on the managerial scrapheap.
But there is a quiet optimism in this corner of Devon that the Championship club will provide the perfect platform for the 38-year-old to bounce back from his Birmingham nightmare.
“Bulls***” and “appalled”, replied two Green Army fans when asked how they felt when ‘Wazza’ signed a three-year deal in May.
But having moved to the city’s plush Royal William Yard and throwing himself into pub quiz nights and Morrisons shopping trips, Roo-mania is slowly taking over.
Pals Paddy and Simon travel from Truro, Cornwall, for every home and away game and already have a ‘Rooney is a Green’ St George’s flag.
Simon said: “Initially, I thought it was bulls***. I didn’t think he was the sort of manager we would be after or that he would be up for it.
“But he has put us on the map. He’s a big name and was a massive player. His playing ability commands respect. He didn’t have to take this.”
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England and Manchester United legend Rooney approached the Championship side during their hunt to find Ian Foster’s replacement at the end of last season.
They had escaped the drop by just a point — at the expense of Birmingham City where Rooney had a disastrous three-month spell earlier in the campaign.
What Rooney said about takeing Plymouth job
He said: “I don’t want to become the next Gary Neville.
“The last few months have been very strange for me.
“Since January it’s been a real strange time being at home.
“I’ve done bits of TV work, but my real desire is to get back into management.
“You always have to prove yourself.
“I think that’s what I had for 20 years as a player and, as a coach, wherever you are, whatever job you’re in, you have to prove yourself.
“That’s normal, that’s a pressure which comes with the job.
“And of course, when you go into jobs, you leave yourself open.
“If you don’t get results, then obviously there’s consequences to that, which was the case at Birmingham.
“But now I’m here, I’m ready. I’m excited. I took a lot of time to reflect on what happened at Birmingham.
“Sometimes things happen for a reason. The good thing which came out of it means that I’m here now, and I’m here to go and be successful. I really believe in that.”
Argyle owner Simon Hallett was initially sceptical of Rooney on their four-man shortlist.
But the 68-year-old was bowled over during the interview process and became convinced Rooney was the man for the job — despite his hit-and-miss managerial record.
Alongside a yacht mooring near Rooney’s new home, Argyle fan Matt Cleave, 23, said: “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried.”
And outside Plymouth’s Home Park stadium, Tyler Bridgman, 35, said: “It’s hard because everyone looks at his history.”
Rooney was hailed for keeping Derby in the Championship in near-impossible circumstances during his first season in charge.
And he battled valiantly the following campaign as the Rams entered administration, but left after a 21-point deduction saw them relegated — they would have finished 17th and survived without the penalty.
A 15-month spell at former club DC United followed. But he left by mutual consent in October 2023 after failing to make the MLS play-offs for a second consecutive season.
Veteran Argyle reporter for Plymouth Live Chris Errington, 57, said: “It’s hard to judge DC United.
“At Derby, if you look beyond their relegation and at what he had to deal with, the number of young players he had to blood and that they’d have stayed up without a deduction, you could argue he did a decent job.
“But Birmingham is the issue that caused concern when he was appointed by Argyle.”
Rooney’s Birmingham disaster began just three days after his DC United departure when he replaced popular boss John Eustace, 44.
Blues were sitting pretty in the play-off spots when their American owners — including NFL legend Tom Brady — dumped Eustace in favour of glamour pick Rooney.
Nine defeats in 15 games saw City plummet from sixth to 20th in less than three months.
Rooney was sacked after 83 days in charge.
But Plymouth fans understand the extenuating circumstances which have dogged Rooney’s managerial career.
In his first pre-season match on these shores, the Pilgrims beat Cheltenham 5-1 away on Sunday. He was mobbed by adoring fans of both teams on his way out.
Speaking outside Whaddon Road afterwards, Argyle fan Andy said: “The club comes first, but Rooney has to do it for himself too. This is his last chance.
“He’s got a good club behind him with great directors. He’s got the lot. If he can’t do it now then who knows if he’ll ever do it?”
Rooney has endeared himself to the locals by stopping for conversations, selfies and autographs around town.
The question now is can he make himself known as a top-class boss?
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