Wayne Rooney has been told how he can complete his recovery from the biggest setback of his managerial career by landing a Premier League post next.
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Sacked by Birmingham after 83 daysFaced further challenges at PlymouthDetermined to rebuild his reputationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
In October 2023, Manchester United legend Rooney was selected by NFL legend Tom Brady and the new ownership team at Birmingham to inherit the reins at St Andrew’s. By January 2, 2024 – after just 83 days and 15 games at the helm – the ex-England international had been axed with his coaching reputation in tatters.
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Another new challenge has been taken on at Plymouth, with more tests in the dugout being faced there. Questions have been asked of Rooney’s future in Devon, but he remains fully committed to a post that has taken him away from his family home after resisting any urge to wait on a supposedly “easier” assignment elsewhere.
WHAT RENE MEULENSTEEN SAID
Former Manchester United assistant Rene Meulensteen – who worked with Rooney at Old Trafford – has saluted the most high-profile of figures for not using his name to land big jobs. The Dutchman – speaking in association with – has told GOAL: “It’s a matter of him needing to get back in. Derby was a big challenge in difficult circumstances, with the club in a difficult situation. He managed to keep them above water for a while. He then went to MLS, which is a completely different challenge – I’ve been there and seen it myself, the different mentality.
“I think the biggest setback for him was the Birmingham one, on the back of them doing well and all the fans were quite happy with [John] Eustace. Wayne comes in because the ownership changes and they want a name in there. It went straight from bad to worse. He has picked up Plymouth, which is bold and brave, but I respect him for doing that. There, you really have to show everything – your management style, your coaching credentials.”
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Meulensteen added: “The difference when I was coaching at Manchester United, I had a group of such talented players, half the work was enough. The really traditional coaching way of stop, stand still and telling players what to do, I never used that because I knew that if I give the players the right information, they will take responsibility – empower the players and they will play the game with their decisions.
“At the level Wayne is working at now, he will sometimes think that the players should know that, but they are not of his calibre and they don’t know that. You have to reinforce your tactics, you have to be really clear and make it simplified to some extent. Mick has gone in with him, Mick Phelan, which I think is a wise decision, to get somebody as a sounding board and looking over his shoulder – what about this approach, what about this? I really hope that he gets it right and steers them away from relegation and into mid-table.”