Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, regarded as one of the best English players of his generation, has called time on his illustrious playing career after being named on Friday as manager of second-tier side Derby County.
The struggling Championship club said in a statement that the 35-year-old had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Rooney, who scored an all-time record 53 goals for England and is also Manchester United’s record scorer, joined Derby in a player-coach capacity a year ago from MLS side DC United and made 35 appearances for the club.
He had been interim manager at Derby since the club parted company with Dutchman Phillip Cocu in November.
Rooney began his playing career with boyhood club Everton, scoring his first goal in spectacular fashion as a 16-year-old against Arsenal.
He became one of the country’s most iconic players, scoring 253 goals for United and winning five league titles and the Champions League. Rooney is also England’s most capped outfield player, with 120 international appearances.
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“When I first arrived back in the UK I was completely blown away by the potential of Derby County,” Rooney said.
“Despite other offers I knew instinctively Derby County was the place for me.”
Rooney follows Chelsea’s record goalscorer Frank Lampard in managing Derby. Although unlike Lampard who was close to taking the Midlands club up in 2019, his task will be to stop them falling in to the third tier after a poor season.
Derby are third from bottom although under Rooney’s interim watch they have improved, losing only two of their last nine league matches, registering five clean sheets.
“We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Wayne Rooney as our new manager,” Derby’s CEO Stephen Pearce said.
“Our recent upturn in results under Wayne was married together with some positive performances, notably the 2-0 home win over Swansea City and the 4-0 victory at Birmingham City.
“Those foundations have provided a platform for the club to build on in the second half of the season under Wayne’s guidance.”
Rooney, who made more than 700 professional appearances during his career, said he would leave “no stone unturned” in trying to bring the good times back to Derby and he received backing from his first manager at Everton, David Moyes.
“He has had an incredible career and he’s chosen to stop playing and I’m sure that’s for the right reasons,” Moyes, now West Ham United manager, told reporters on Friday.
“It’s a different world, the best players don’t always make the best managers but Wayne’s love of the game and his drive will give him every chance of being successful.”
9 Comments
What are they going to say about Rooney?
I don’t think he have a certificate to be in that position but the club realize that he have what it takes to be a world class coach.
They won’t say anything because Rooney is not Yobo who that they labeled fashonister.
Although, I would have preferred Yobo to be the third coach instead of second assistant coach to Oga Rohr.
Yobo should should not be worried about them. That is what they really good at lolz.
Congratulations to you Rooney. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Ewu gambia, don’t worry, ur obsession with rohr go make u run mad very soon.
Lolzzz
@Omo9ja, nawa for you o, at least Rooney is due to complete his EUFA A license course in June this year and he has been Derby’s player/coach for a year now. Unlike your Yobo Fashionistar who has retired since 2014 but wasted 6 good years hopping from one fashion show to another and gbam…….straight to assistant coach of almighty SE.
So you can never compare these 2 guys at all, use your head sometimes before posting your rubbish on this forum bro
@0m09ja … A little research won’t hurt you before you comment on public domains . Just like EFE Ambrose , Wayne Rooney was a Player-Coach before his appointment and Yes he does have a coaching certificate .
FYI .. Yobo doesn’t have any coaching certificate and that is the difference between Rooney and Yobo
Please detest sharing false information on public domains , It doesn’t speak well of your personality
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/confirmed-wayne-rooney-will-join-derby-as-player-coach-1.3978386
https://www.goal.com/en-ke/news/efe-ambrose-nigeria-defender-gets-coaching-role-at/59o61tkeia0i148us3jim6032
https://thecelticstar.com/ex-celt-efe-ambrose-lands-coaching-role-with-premiership-side/
God bless Nigeria
Omo9ja were u blind when rooney was appointed player manager for close to 2 seasons… And FYI He has his coaching badges b4 he went to MLS
@Omo9ja … Rooney was a player-coach before his appointment and Yes he does have a coaching badge . Efe Ambrose is another example of a player coach .
You can make the research online yourself and please don’t compare both to YOBO because he ( Yobo ) doesn’t have any coaching badge .
Please detest sharing false info on public domains , it doesn’t speak well of your personality
God bless Nigeria
Please when did he receive his coaching badge? Maybe you can give us a link. All have read is, he is in the process of getting his coaching badge( which is a requirement for getting the UEFA A licence). Even the UEFA pro license he doesn’t have. So omo9ja is right that he doesn’t have any licence. Currently he would be working with an experienced coach with a coaching badge. Yobo we learnt is also in the process of getting his coaching badge. Yobo might not be a world class like rooney, but he also played on the world stage like rooney
Upon all the caps this guy (Rooney) won for england; england refuse to give him appointment in one of their national teams…. Nawao for england ooo…
At least ask him to take over either U17, U20, U23 as coach….
Or even make him one of the assistant in the THREE LIONS…