Wayne Rooney's managerial record as ex-Manchester United legend leaves Plymouth Argyle

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Wayne Rooney has left Plymouth Argyle by “mutual agreement” - which is code for leaving before he could be sacked.

It marks the end of a dismal spell for Plymouth, who sit at the very bottom of the Championship with just four league wins all season. For Rooney, it’s the end of a fourth managerial stint - with some fans calling it his worst on record.

But is that a fair assessment of the England international’s stint at Plymouth, or has he improved since his time with Derby County back in 2020?

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Rooney’s career as a manager has been nothing like his playing days, where he was regarded among the best in the world with players like Messi, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Instead, his time on the touchline has been somewhat disappointing, much like those of England teammates Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gary Neville.

It’s difficult to find any positive adjectives to describe Wayne Rooney’s managerial career.It’s difficult to find any positive adjectives to describe Wayne Rooney’s managerial career.
It’s difficult to find any positive adjectives to describe Wayne Rooney’s managerial career.

So today, as he packs his bags and heads back to Manchester to resume life with wife Coleen - who unlike him, did actually win something this year - we take a look back on Rooney’s history as a manager.

Derby County (2020-2022)

While other freshman managers jumped straight into the big leagues, Rooney made the right call by starting his managerial career with Derby County. Taking charge right at the end of 2020, fans were excited to see an England legend in the dugout, but were astutely aware that this arrangement might not work out.

At the time, Derby were bottom of the Championship, and Rooney losing his first two games in charge did little to dispel fans’ relegation fears. But Rooney managed to steady the ship, and saved the club from relegation.

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But the following year, Derby were struck by an onslaught of points deductions, dropping 21 points off the pitch and being relegated to League One. As the team went into administration in 2022, Rooney left the club.

Despite losing more games (38) than he won (25), Rooney’s first managerial stint was easily his best, averaging 1.14 points per match and lasting one and a half seasons with the team.

DC United (2022-2023)

After leaving Derby County, Rooney moved to the MLS to manage DC United. It’s not exactly a well-known side like New York Red Bulls or LA Galaxy, but still provided a great opportunity for the ex-Man United star to sink his teeth into.

He was given a contract until the end of the 2023 season, with the goal of reaching the MLS play-offs. But the results didn’t materialise in quite the way executives nor Rooney expected, with the club winning 14 matches, drawing 13 and losing 26.

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For a second consecutive year, DC United did not qualify for the play-offs, and Rooney’s contract was not extended at the end of the season, forcing the Englishman to head back across the Atlantic.

Birmingham City (2023-2024)

Birmingham fans were somewhat surprised when Rooney was handed a three and a half year contract at St Andrew’s. He was brought on board by the club’s new American owners, who sacked former manager John Eustace.

The club was in sixth place in the Championship at the time, and Rooney was entrusted with guiding them back to the Premier League. Rooney even hired former teammates Ashley Cole and John O’Shea as coaches.

Under Rooney, Birmingham witnessed a generational collapse, going from fighting for promotion to languishing 18th in the Championship table and firmly in a relegation scrap. All in just a few months.

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Rooney was sacked in January 2024, just three months after taking charge, and Birmingham were relegated to League One at the end of the season - with Rooney taking the brunt of the blame from fans. During his brief stint he won just two games, losing nine and drawing four, with an average of 0.67 points per game.

Plymouth Argyle (2024)

With such a dismal managerial record, many considered Rooney to be unwanted goods - like the orange creams in a tin of Quality Street. But somehow, he was picked up by Plymouth for the 2024/25 season.

In all competitions, Plymouth won just five matches under Rooney, drawing six and losing 14. He leaves the club bottom of the Championship with little hope of survival, with their best result being a 3-0 win against Cheltenham in the EFL Cup. Cheltenham, for reference, are 14th in League Two.

But with an average of 0.84 points per game, Rooney’s stint down south was marginally better than his time at Birmingham City, with a similarly small sample size too.

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