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Wayne Rooney gives hilarious first press conference as Plymouth boss with cheeky dig at Gary Neville

Wayne Rooney gives a hilarious first press conference as Plymouth Argyle boss with a cheeky dig aimed at Gary Neville.

Time to get down to business for Wayne Rooney, who was appointed in May, now he’s back from being a pundit at the Euros in Germany.

This week, players returned back for pre-season training with the new season getting underway in just over a month.

In May, Rooney was brought in as the new manager of Plymouth, an appointment which wasn’t too popular with fans, as he signed a three-year deal just four months on from being sacked by Birmingham City.

Now he’s preparing the team for what will be another challenging season in the Championship, and this week answered all kinds of questions. Watch his press conference below…

Timeline (for video above)
0:00 Why Plymouth?
1:24 Ambitions and Goals in the 24/25
2:26 Proving himself as a Manager?
3:35 Appointment of Wayne Rooney
5:00 Devon
6:14 ā€œItā€™s nice when you talk to peopleā€
6:53 Feedback | ā€œI donā€™t want to be next Gary NevillešŸ˜‚ā€
8:45 Learning at Birmingham City
10:36 New on having a Transfer Window?
12:11 Home Park
13:29 What Fans could expect?
15:00 ā€œHave great words about the clubā€
15:58 First Impressions of the Club
17:24 Morgan Whittaker
18:58 Manager
20:52 Young Players
23:03 First Home Game vs Hull City
23:52 Euros 2024 | ā€œI think I didnā€™t get a entertaining gamešŸ˜…ā€
25:00 Quiz
25:36 Opportunity
27:44 Lessons from the Managers
30:24 Family
31:50 Devon Community
33:25 Relationship
35:16 ā€œGood to have someone that work closeā€
36:15 ā€œThis is the Monaco of EnglandšŸ˜‚ā€
37:03 Premier League
37:57 Gareth Southgate
39:13 Erik ten Hag
40:29 Outro | Please like the video and subscribe!

Rooney onā€¦ the Argyle environment (Q&A via pafc.co.uk)

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the football club and over the last month since I’ve been in, [Iā€™ve seen] the togetherness of the football club. The togetherness of the staff has been outstanding and really refreshing for me to be a part of.

Rooney onā€¦ proving himself

You always have to prove yourself. That’s something 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.

When you go into jobs, you leave yourself open. If you don’t get results, there’s consequences to that, which was the case at Birmingham.

I’ve taken a lot of time to reflect on what happened at Birmingham City, and sometimes things happen for a reason. The good thing which has come out of it means that I’m here now, and I’m here to be successful – I really believe in that.

Rooney onā€¦ Plymouth

I came down a few weeks ago to look at an apartment and get things sorted.

Being here this week, I have to say every person I’ve met has been really welcoming. Iā€™ve had a nice chat with quite a few people.

This is my home now. This is where I’m living, this is where I’m working, this is where I’m hoping to be successful.

I think it’s a lovely, lovely place. Iā€™ve been out for a couple of meals in nice restaurants and enjoyed that. I think the important thing is, for me, you enjoy it more when you win.

Rooney onā€¦ being approachable

I’ve always been someone who’s an open person, open to talk and take pictures. I don’t think I’ve ever refused pictures or autographs throughout my career. It’s nice when you speak to people, because it’s also nice to get feedback, as well, from fans.

I’m sure I will [get that], whether it’s good or bad feedback. I think it’s always nice to have that.

Rooney onā€¦ why be a manager, and not solely a pundit

I don’t want to become the next Gary Neville!

I have a desire, a passion and a love for football. I’ve always had that. That’s what I’ve known since I was a baby. At 16 I went straight into a first team, and then into management at the end of me playing.

I had very little time off in between. The last few months have been very strange for me. I’ve done bits of TV work and stuff like that, but my real desire is to get back into management.

Some ex-players who have played at the top level, a lot of them will not go into management or they won’t drop down from the Premier League to manage.

What I didn’t want to do was go in somewhere, mid-season. I’d done that at DC United, I’d done that at Birmingham and straight away it becomes a lot more difficult to get messages across, points across and get the players to perform.

It was really important I went in somewhere for the pre-season to start. I was delighted that was the case here.

Rooney onā€¦ being at the Euros

When I was over in Germany, I saw a few people asking questions about why.

I was working for TV in Germany, but a lot of work was getting done. Weā€™ve already seen three players through the door. There was a lot of work with recruitment, with making sure we put ourselves in a position that if the players we identify are available to bring in, we do that as quickly as possible. That’s what I asked for, and the club has been great in doing that.

It wasn’t the case of me being out in Germany and not working. There were a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of preparation in terms of presentations for players and speaking to players, [including] current players who are at the football club and getting to know them a little bit more as well.

There was a lot of work being done, but Iā€™m so happy to be here now, to meet the players, meet all the staff – and we’ve had a good first few days.

Rooney onā€¦ the Home Park atmosphere

I think it’ll be nice to be at a home stadium which sells out every week. Seeing the atmosphere first hand [when I came with Birmingham City] I thought it was great. Not just the atmosphere during the game, but when I arrived at the stadium, the atmosphere getting off the team bus and walking through the fans was great. It is something, when you go to an away stadium, which it was at the time, you take note of.

That was really a big reason for me to want to be here, if I’m being honest. I think that connection which you have with the fans of the football club is so important. Itā€™s a privilege for me to be here and I think it’s a football club which is trying to move forward. My job is to try and make that happen.

Rooney onā€¦ recruitment and the current squad

I’m looking to bring players in but, ultimately, the message to the players is that everyone’s got a chance. It’s on them as players to prove to me they deserve to play, and that’s how I’ve always worked. Hard work is a very good skill to have.

My job is to give them the details of how to make them better, how you position your body, how you move the ball, what foot you pass the ball to, making sure that’s correct and tactically making sure we get it right.

If we do that, weā€™ll do very well. I feel I can improve the players. I think they can improve, whether that’s young players or some of the more senior players as well. It’s a good opportunity for me to give them the information I want and hopefully I can see them improve.

Rooney onā€¦ assistant manager Pete Shuttleworth

Pete’s been with me, he knows me inside out. He’s been there at Derby County, DC United and Birmingham. I’m delighted to have him here. He probably knows more about me than I do myself. [He knows] how I work, all my messages I give to players, to staff. It’s good to have someone who I work so closely with to reinforce messages.

Rooney onā€¦ community work

The work the club does already with the community is really important. I think for me to be a big part of that is something which I want to do. I want to get involved with that.

Rooney onā€¦ lessons learned from managers he has played for

I’ve played under Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, Ronald Koeman, Fabio Capello. You’re always looking in and seeing different things they’re doing in training sessions, how they’re speaking to the players, the information they’re giving, how they manage players on an individual basis.

You try to take as many good [traits] as you can, but also, I think more importantly, the stuff you feel they’re not doing so well, routes you don’t want to go down with players.

Rooney onā€¦ man-management

Society has changed, players have changed, individuals have changed with the way the world is changing.

Over the last couple of days, and over the next few weeks, it’s a great opportunity for me to get to know all the players better as individuals. What makes them tick, what players need an arm round them, what players need a little bit more.

The quicker I get to know that, the easier it will be for me to understand what messages they need.

Rooney onā€¦ developing young players

I’ve done that at every club I’ve been at. It’s great because you get a chance to develop them; they’ve got so much more in them and so much learning to do. You can help them with that but, ultimately, they have the same opportunity that the senior players have.

There’s young lads who are coming out to Spain with us to train. I want to see them training to see if they’re ready. If they’re training well enough, if I feel they’re good enough and they’re ready to play, they will play.

They have to work hard like every other player, play with freedom, express themselves, don’t be afraid to talk and tackle in training.

Every player’s got an opportunity. It’s on you. It’s on you to prove to me that you’re ready and you’re good enough and if the players do that, whether they’re 16 or whether they’re 34, they’ll get the chance.

As seen above, Rooney’s also given his first team meeting with the Pilgrims’ squad, with a four minute video posted on the club’s social media…

“You might know me from my playing career. I’m a winner, I’m not here to have a holiday, I want to win.

“What you done last season was great, staying in the league. I know it has been a process to get to that level. I want to elevate the team. You will enjoy your time with me. I’m an honest person. If you do the right things I promise you, you will have a good time and you will win.

“You have all got a good opportunity, and this is from the youngest player to the most senior player, everybody has got an opportunity to play. So you have to show me, that’s on you. Trust me, life is very short. I think the most important thing for all of us is how can you make the most of what you have got?

“Everyone is different, I get that, I understand that. Everyone is from different backgrounds. How do you come together as a group, how do you find a connection? That’s my job to create that, it’s the coaches’ job to create that, and that will happen.

“The club has got the ambition over the next five years to try and get Premier League. I have played at the top level but I have never forgot the values what got me there.

“So whether you are from a tough background or a nice background, it doesn’t matter. You have to value what gets you there and how you improve, and that’s hard work.

“That’s all it is. The details of how we want to play, of techniques, we can give you all that, but what we can’t give is that will and desire. That has to come from inside, and we will win. No doubt about it, we will win.

“Every one of you has got an opportunity to go and make a difference. Whatever has happened before at the football club, I will judge every one of you from what I see on the training pitch. That’s just a simple matter of life and how I work. You have all got an opportunity so take it, enjoy it and let’s win.”

This is what fans are saying as Wayne Rooney gives a hilarious first press conference as Plymouth boss with a cheeky dig aimed at Gary Neville…

@BevisRobins: The more I see of the gaffer, the more I like him. So excited for the new season.

@zakbrownz: Really refreshing managers got a personality, something Foster lacked enjoyable listen!

@MrsFoxtrotwhisk: I like the fact Wayne is very reflective in his thinking, plus he’s showing a wicked sense of humour. We’ll done gaffer #pafc

@bradleybar39373: Speaking really well about the club and has that sense that this could be the job that works for him finally with a full pre season and recruitment process behind him Rooneys greens come on šŸ’ššŸ’š

@philgdavies1982: I believe, come on argyle

@Tony_Bouch: Really enjoyed watching and intently listening to the full 40 minutes. COYGs really really want the gaffer to be a success šŸ’š

@MikeBlackmore96: Sorry but if you canā€™t back Rooney after that you need to give your head a wobble! UP THE WAZZA GREENS! #pafc

@ArgyleFlyer: Just watched his press conference. Heā€™s very relaxed, odd funny quip in there too. Despite my initial reservations, Rooney as head coach is growing on me. Obviously results are most important. Interested how pre season shapes up and how we set up to play. Encouraging #pafc

@Joe_Moore01: Nice to see some positivity at an Argyle press conference. After the last dour head coach we had to listen too. We wonā€™t win every week it will be a struggle but if he gets us on the front foot going at teams heā€™ll backed down here.

@pafclewis: The more and more I hear Rooney speak the more Iā€™m getting behind him, his past hasnā€™t been great but I genuinely think heā€™s here for the long run. Rooneyā€™s pissing greensssss šŸ‡³šŸ‡¬ #pafc

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