New Zealand international striker Ben Waine says he is looking forward to the chance to learn from great goalscorer Wayne Rooney, who is now his manager at English Championship club Plymouth Argyle.
“I haven’t really been here much in pre-season, but the times I’ve been here to explain to him a little bit about how he’s finishing and how he’s a goal-scoring striker, it’s been incredible,” Waine told the Plymouth Herald.
Waine (23) has been getting to know Rooney since he returned to the club after playing for the national team with the All Whites at the OFC Nations Cup and with the OlyWhites at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Main photo: Ben Waine … eager to learn from one of the greats. Image credit: Plymouth Argyle.
“If he sees something he thinks he can influence or whatever, whether it’s a technique or a certain finish, he’ll say something. But if I feel like I need to work on something or something doesn’t feel quite right, he’s happy to answer questions as well. So it goes both ways, which is really nice.”
Rooney (38) scored 120 goals for England and 183 goals for Manchester United before making the transition from player to coach.
Rooney left Waine out of Argyle’s opening game of the season, a 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, but named him in the starting line-up for the Carabao Cup tie against Cheltenham Town.
Waine rewarded his manager’s decision with the first goal in the 3-0 win.
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Four of his seven goals have come in the cup for Argyle since joining from Wellington Phoenix in January 2023.
“I don’t know what the deal is with the trophies, it was the same at home. I can’t complain about that,” he told Plymouth Herald.
Instead of playing Waine in his usual role as a pure striker, Rooney had him play on the left side of an attacking trio.
“Of course, playing the number 10 role is not something that comes naturally to me and I have been coached a bit through the game, but it is also an exciting challenge,” Waine said.
“I’m learning a new role and this role will potentially help me to play as a number nine when I play for this team.”
Waine came off the bench in Argyle’s second English Championship game, a 1-1 draw at home to Hull City.
This story was first published on August 19, 2024.
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