GGiven Wayne Rooney’s managerial career to date, not to mention his previous admissions of binge drinking, it’s difficult not to describe his move to Plymouth as a last-chance foray. The former England captain will take up his fourth job in just over two years when Plymouth Argyle visit Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, and even the club’s owner Simon Hallett admits it’s now or never for his surprise appointment.
“Wayne needs to succeed,” Hallett tells the Guardian. “If he doesn’t succeed here, maybe he should become a TV pundit.”
Rooney joked at his launch last month that he took the job at Plymouth because he didn’t want to become “the next Gary Neville”, but 48 hours before the serious business began he was in a more studious mood at Home Park. The 38-year-old appeared relaxed in his new surroundings, however, and pointed out that he has been under pressure since his school days.
“You’re always trying to prove something, no matter what industry you’re in,” says Rooney. “I wouldn’t be doing my job for the club if I didn’t have something to prove. I’ve been under pressure since I joined Everton’s first team at 16.”
“I’m someone who believes in what I do – that’s what keeps me going. There will always be doubters. I could win the championship with Argyle and there would still be doubters.”
A few wins would be a start after Birmingham’s disastrous reign last season, which produced just two wins in 15 games and seemed to confirm the manager’s winning streak.
After emerging from Derby’s hopeless relegation battle despite a transfer ban and two points deductions, Rooney endured the disappointment of failing to reach the MLS playoffs with DC United last year, followed by the 83 days in Birmingham that ended with his abrupt sacking in January.
Seven months later, that failure was reassessed. A senior Birmingham executive told the Guardian that the club had dealt Rooney a bad hand. “You could have put Pep Guardiola in charge of the team and he wouldn’t have fixed it,” they said.
Rooney has been itching to get back to work ever since. After Ian Foster was sacked in April, he asked his agent to contact Plymouth. His motivation cannot have been financial, as his salary of around £500,000 is modest even by Championship standards.
“Nobody was more surprised than me that we got Wayne,” Hallett says. “I’m not interested in celebrity, so his playing career was not a positive one. He got the job despite his name, not because of it.”
“Wayne built relationships with the club very quickly and literally broke down walls to do so. The coaching and recruitment teams used to be in separate offices but he wanted them together so we broke down a wall.”
Rooney has also settled into Plymouth’s existing structure, hiring only assistant coach Pete Shuttleworth, his No. 2 since Derby. The pair share a flat in the city centre and Rooney is content to let Shuttleworth lead most training sessions while he watches from the sidelines.
Rooney seems to have modelled his leadership style on Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Hodgson, who had the biggest influence on his playing career. Although he is tough on his players, there are also moments of lightheartedness. Some are surprised by his willingness to tell stories about himself, often involving his own misfortunes.
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“It’s important that players feel like they can talk to you about things that happen on and off the pitch,” says Rooney. “They know they can come to me if they have a problem.”
Perhaps the ultimate indication of Rooney’s affability is his ability to maintain a good relationship with former England team-mate Jamie Vardy, despite the ill-feeling between their wives. The celebrity circuit has not yet reached Plymouth, as Rooney’s family remain in Cheshire, but Coleen has attended at least one pre-season friendly and is expected to attend some games.
Rooney has taken the autograph hunters to his heart and seems to have won over the fans, many of whom were initially sceptical. Among those milling around Home Park, which is sold out for all games for which tickets are available, a few ‘Rooney 10’ shirts were seen. Even small touches such as referring to the club as Argyle have gone down well with the fans.
While Rooney’s previous coaching jobs were the result of circumstance – he was a player at Derby and DC United and was actively courted by Birmingham’s American owners – looking to Plymouth could prove to be a smart move. The club has a history of giving coaches time, with Ryan Lowe being given a new contract in 2021 less than two months after a run of six consecutive league defeats, and their expectations seem realistic. Having avoided relegation to League One by a single point last season, the aim is simple to stay in the division with more of a lead.
“For Plymouth, success means more than hitting budget, so if we finish 16th or better, I would be delighted,” says Hallett.
Rooney wants more, for the club and his immense personal ambitions. “It’s an inner drive that many people have in different walks of life,” he says. “My drive is to be involved in football. When I stopped playing, I became manager at Derby the same day. I had a short break, maybe a week, before I went to DC United. Then 48 hours before I went to Birmingham.”
“Before I came to Argyle I had a couple of months off, which was good. I had time to reflect on what I had done as a coach. That time was very helpful, but the hunger to get back into the team was huge. I’m not someone who likes to stay at home. I have that desire. Some players who have played at the highest level aren’t willing to try things outside the norm, but I want to do that. I want to be great.”
