Rooney departs Plymouth after poor run of form
What next for an English football legend?
Head coach Wayne Rooney has parted ways with Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle by mutual consent.
The video below shows Rooney’s reaction after a recent defeat against Norwich City.
The 39-year-old former England captain managed only four league victories while suffering 13 defeats in 23 Championship matches since taking charge of the Pilgrims in May. His departure leaves the club rooted to the bottom of the table.
Rooney arrived at Home Park just four months after being sacked by Birmingham City, where his short 83-day tenure saw nine defeats in 15 games.
Sunday's 2-0 loss to Oxford United, which extended Plymouth's winless run to nine matches, was met with boos from the crowd. It marked their sixth defeat in that run, which began in early November.
Under Rooney’s leadership, Plymouth have struggled at both ends of the pitch. They’ve scored the joint-fewest goals in the Championship and conceded more than any other team across the top four divisions in English football.
Assistant head coach Mike Phelan and first-team coach Simon Ireland have also left the club.
A closer look at Rooney's time with the club
Wayne Rooney’s stint at Plymouth Argyle, like his time at Birmingham City, has ultimately been unsuccessful.
When he was appointed in May, the club’s hierarchy emphasised that his selection was based on merit rather than as a publicity stunt. However, fans were divided from the outset. Many questioned his managerial record, while others saw it as an exciting opportunity for the club to work with such a high-profile figure.
That high profile, however, brought heightened scrutiny. As the defeats piled up, so did the pressure on both Rooney and the club, arguably more than if a less well-known manager had been in charge.
His tenure hasn’t been without challenges, particularly with injuries affecting the attacking options, but ultimately, results on the pitch left the club with little choice but to move on.
The video below shows the recent heavy defeat against Coventry City, one of the recent defeats that ultimately cost him his job.
It will be interesting to see what happens next for Wayne Rooney. His roles at Birmingham and now Plymouth have ended prematurely. Perhaps the Championship is too high up now. There are a number of clubs in League One that might see him as the next step in their own clubs journey.
