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Wayne Rooney speaks for first time on becoming the new Plymouth head coach

Wayne Rooney speaks for first time on becoming the new Plymouth Argyle head coach, months after he was sacked by Birmingham City.

The 38-year-old succeeds Ian Foster, who was sacked on the 1st of April following a poor run of results that left the club in a relegation battle.

In October 2023, Birmingham were 6th in the second tier, but they took the bizarre decision to sack manager John Eustace and bring in Wayne Rooney.

He won just 2 of his 15 games in charge and got sacked with the club in 20th place.

Steve Spooner was caretaker for one game before Tony Mowbray was appointed. He had 8 games in charge then stepped down after he fell ill.

Mark Venus stepped in for 6 games, then Gary Rowett was named in interim charge until the end of the season.

Birmingham would go onto get relegated (22nd) and finish below Blackburn (19th)… managed by John Eustace.

Now Plymouth, who won their final game and finished a place above Birmingham, have named Rooney as their new manager, much to the surprise of fans.

SEE MORE: Fans beg Plymouth NOT to appoint Wayne Rooney, who is among contenders having held talks

CLUB STATEMENT:

We are delighted to announce that Wayne Rooney has been appointed as the new Head Coach of Plymouth Argyle.

His appointment follows a lengthy and extensive recruitment process, as a result of which a number of highly experienced Managers and Head Coaches were interviewed. Wayne, however, stood out as the right candidate for Argyle.

38-year-old Rooney is one of our country’s finest ever players. He is Manchester United’s all-time leading goal scorer – an accolade he also held with England until very recently – and is a five-time Premier League winner.

Rooney’s managerial experience so far has demonstrated his strong character and ability to battle against the odds. This is emphasised by his first full season in charge at Derby County, where his young team won 55 points despite off-field administrative issues engulfing the club. He has since had managerial experience in the MLS at D.C. United, where results improved as he put his own stamp on the squad, and in the Championship with Birmingham City.

Chairman Simon Hallett is thrilled to secure the services of Rooney and commented: “Throughout the interview process, Wayne showed himself to be a passionate, intelligent, and knowledgeable candidate with an appetite to prove himself and develop his managerial career.

“So much so, that he reached out to the Board when we started this process and was attracted by the project at hand and showed a real plan on how to lead the football club forward.

“His ambitions and aims match ours perfectly and we feel he is the perfect candidate to provide the exciting and attacking brand of football that we all like to see and help us achieve the club’s mission.

“We look forward to another exciting season of Championship football, and I welcome him to Argyle.”

Argyle Chief Executive Andrew Parkinson added: “Wayne brings a wealth of football experience to Argyle and a passion to kickstart his managerial career with an ambitious, forward-thinking and well-managed football club.

“As conversations advanced, it was clear there was a natural alignment in our footballing ideals and the best way to take the club forward.

“When you have positive conversations like that it is a perfect match, and we believe Wayne is the ideal person to help the club on its next five-year journey.

“Focus will now switch to strengthening the squad ahead of next season, with our recruitment team working hard behind the scenes and Wayne will be an important contributor to that work.”

Upon the announcement, Rooney concluded: “Taking this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career – and I would like to thank the Chairman and Board for the faith they have shown in me.

“This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football – and to entertain the Green Army.

“I have experienced first-hand how talented the existing group of players is here – and also the incredible atmosphere at Home Park. The club is on an exciting long-term journey, with a progressive plan in place. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.

“I can’t wait for the Championship season to start in August.”

First-team coaches Kevin Nancekivell and Simon Ireland, and goalkeeping coach Daryl Flahavan will form part of Rooney’s backroom staff, with further additions to be made in due course.

This is what fans are saying as Wayne Rooney speaks for first time on becoming the new Plymouth head coach…

@HazaUTD: And that’s Plymouth Argyle relegated next season😭

@tovers98: Bonkers appointment

@itssenyo: Congratulations on your relegation Plymouth 😭

@Alex60082631: Dewsnips latest puppet

@PAFCRyan:
Cheap ✅
Scouse ✅
Dewsnips mate ✅
Apparently lessons were learnt here 😵‍💫🤔

@jm_bell95: It is imperative that Rooney is fully focussed on our pre-season. I understand he has BBC commitments for the Euro’s but frankly those need to be cancelled now or only where it has minimal impact on what is a HUGE pre-season for us #pafc

@SippingBill: An awful lot of things to like about Wayne Rooney. Sadly his managerial record isn’t one of them. Feels like a very uncharacteristic risk for this ownership, given the time taken. I’m generally wrong though, so let’s hope it’s fun. If nothing else he’ll love a spicy spud #pafc

@GreenArmy46: That’s unbelievable really 3rd time lucky let’s go!!!!

@corbs536: Great news. He’s got something to prove and I think he will. Welcome Rooney.

@archipasty97:
Able to keep a club in the championship ❌
Mates with Dewsnip ✅

@greenbarmy: Will have to reserve judgement on this one and see where it takes us, will back the team as always but this appointment hasn’t left me particularly positive

@PlymouthCraig: If it goes wrong. Dewsnip has to go too!

@StevieWotsa: Welcome Wayne make sure you get used to the Janner Accent 😆

@Joe_Moore01: Strap in, This is going to be some ride either way. You Greens 💚💚 #pafc

@DaveHou91088005: Welcome to the Theatre of Greens Wayne, I wish you and us every success 💚🇳🇬💚

@TomHarris_PLYM: Rooney’s at the wheel 👀💚 #pafc

@KJM19720: Welcome to Argyle @WayneRooney, all we want is entertainment, and don’t want anyone to loose our togetherness as a club as a whole , we are written off all the time which gives us a bond with the players , we are in this together, let’s go coyg 👊👊💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

@WoolwellG1970: Good luck Wazza, this is your chance to prove the doubters wrong. You have the support of the green army 💚

@SupremeLeaderD3: If this doesn’t work out, Dewsnip goes with him. Two awful appointments in a row because he’s friends with them. Completely inexcusable and unprofessional, regardless of his past success (with his other friend Ryan Lowe). #PAFC

@YouBearsssssss: I just don’t see what the Plymouth board see in him?? He took us from 6th and basically relegated us…. (which kept Plymouth up) absolutely bonkers decision🤷🏼‍♂️Hope he does well for you though! #PAFC

@1980sSportsBlog:
“Hi Wayne. Could you tell us a bit about your last management role?”
“Yeah, I took a club from sixth in the Championship and basically got them relegated”
“Great. When can you start?”

@wilko2012: This is the best news I could have asked for! What an appointment 😂

@blackcat619: The board must be confident because if this fails then it’s curtains

@mikeivory91: From a Blues fan, enjoy lads 👍

@grrooves: God help us. 💚🙏

@Ollie_Haggart: Yes Wazza! First things first, get yourself down the Barbican for a Jasperizer! Then go sign us some absolute ballers

@WestSussexRam: Other than in the 2 games against us, all the very best to @WayneRooney 👍🐑

@alexSwfc7: Congratulations to Plymouth for coming 24th next season

@imamamapapa: Congrats to argyle for also signing new talent, Relegation Forsure, for an undisclosed fee.

@mitchinator1989: The only way this works for argyle is if he’s actually learned from the mistakes at Us Derby and DC United, I feel for them but it would be prime blues for him to succeed there and hit the ground running 😂

@GPS2812: Congratulations and the very best of luck!! 🤣🤣🤣

@jaydeeandcoke: Another teams owners that just want Rooney in their phone contacts.

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