Wayne Rooney: In-depth guide to Argyle's huge gamble

Results, culture and impact analysed

We had 19 days between the insanity of the Hull City game and the rumors that Wayne Rooney becoming Argyle manager. 19 days of tranquility, peace and relative rest.

That’s now been replaced by more relentless, screeching noise. And with Wayne Rooney at the helm, that noise is never going to stop.

Below we’re going to try and make sense of some of this. And on that journey, maybe change some minds over the cult of Rooney.

The manager hunt

First a quick scene setter about the manager hunt so far:

Fans were just starting to get a little restless as the news of Rooney broke. We’d just been linked to Paul Heckingbottom – not the most exotic management name – but a solid manager with success at this level. It would have been a quiet coup. However, it seems his head was turned by Birmingham.

We also saw links to Anthony Barry (Bayern assistant with hallmarks of Foster but tied up at the Euros + unable to fly with after a leg operation), Skubala (huge compo required), Liam Rosenior (turned us down). There was also the likes of Johannes Hoff Thorup and Will Still, but all linked with other jobs in the division, which runs to Burnley, Norwich, Sunderland and Birmingham in L1).

I think it’s fair to acknowledge that Argyle were fifth in a four horse race for Championship managers this summer.

Now, I would take any of those names over Rooney. And a host more on top of that. I was sold on a young up and coming manager with something to prove – but perhaps this is exactly what we’ve got.

The Rooney story

Rooney’s tenure at Birmingham City last season has tarnished his reputation, and as Argyle fans we had a front row seat. So no-one can blame fans for being baffled and concerned that he has been chosen to lead us into the most important window in the history of the club.

His numbers are well documented. Rooney’s record as a manager is woeful.

But let’s dig a little deeper.

Derby County

Rooney had long been ear-marked for management, and he turned down the chance to be interviewed for Everton manager in January 2022, deeming himself not to be ready, while still at Derby County.

But he did impress at his first spell at Derby County (progressing from player/manager), which was a period of chaos, with the club mired in administration. He kept The Rams up against the odds in his first season. In his second season the club succumbed to relegation, with a 21 point deduction.

DC United

After Derby came a disastrous spell at DC United – his former club – and finished last in the division. DCU was again a basket case in the MLS, and his tenure was marked by structural and hierarchical changes. ESPN wrote that:

“Wayne Rooney's exit from D.C. United points to a larger problem of planning and inconsistency within the club and its hierarchy.”

ESPN went on to write:

Over the course of 18 tumultuous months, the club fired a manager, Hernan Losada (whom Rushton didn't hire), and brought in Rooney to take over with a remit to remake the club. Three months after Rooney's arrival, Rushton was let go. Now, Rooney's gone too. That inability to commit to a coherent vision is at the heart of DCU's problems.

So his second club also provided little platform for success. Then came Birmingham.

Birmingham City

The basics of the Birmingham tenure are well known. He lasted just 15 games, brought in to replace the well-liked John Eustace, won two and lost nine of those fixtures as his side tumbled down the table.

What’s easily forgotten is that Rooney was sacked on 2 January, and the two subsequent managers weren’t able to arrest the slide that ended in relegation.

And his role at Birmingham was something of a thankless task:

The Athletic reported:

“Rooney had been tasked with reinventing a group of players who had developed the reputation for counter-attacking football, of being well organised and hard to beat under Eustace, into a possession-based, attacking side that had to be brave on the ball. It clearly wasn’t working.”

Again, it puts Rooney at the heart of an organisational maelstrom and impossible conditions. Sacking a well liked manager, and asking the replacement to rebrand a team’s style, with zero planning is probably impossible.

Rooney didn’t get a single transfer window to build his team before being sacked, let alone a pre-season.

And now he arrives at Argyle.

A question of culture

Another problem Rooney brings is his baggage and fame. I was at the Birmingham game and watched him get off the coach, flanked by minders, hat drawn down over his head. He cut a bizarre figure.

The ‘One Argyle’ family ethos is something we wrote must be enshrined going forward – which seems at odds with a big name celebrity manager. It just doesn’t seem very Argyle, to have bouncers flanking our manager. Can you imagine Rooney down at The Dolphin having a drink with Simon Hallett when we stay up in 24/25? It would be a circus

I think many fans think we’re losing something as a club by hiring Rooney – perhaps irretrievably.

Rooney’s time at Birmingham was also marred with elements of unprofessionalism. He quickly threw players under the bus, and was frustrated by their lack of aptitude to implement his chosen playing style. And these opinions were aired on Twitch by his son, who called out players for being fat and useless.

But the Athletic also said:

Rooney wasn’t unpopular with his players, despite the results and some strong public criticism of them from the manager. Rooney had occasionally questioned his squad’s mental strength, ability and even personal pride — comments which had stung a few of them.

But in contrast to his outward persona, the sullenness, the baseball caps, bouncers and interview demeanour, researching Rooney the manager has only revealed positivity towards him as a man manager, a role model and a coach – including this The Mirror article from this week.

That Athletic article commented:

While some may welcome his departure, there are still many of the staff at the training ground that retain some sympathy with Rooney, who was visible, friendly and approachable. The feeling was he didn’t have the players to deliver on the brief and it would take several transfer windows — and a lot of money — to rectify that.

Although Argyle will want to ensure that the new head coach does more ‘coaching’ than was evident at Birmingham:

There was a surprise among some that, considering his illustrious career, Rooney wasn’t more hands-on, especially with the attacking players. Very few squad members improved during Rooney’s tenure, except for midfielder Jordan James.

So despite his awkward public persona and penchant for controversy, Rooney seems to be a well-liked leader who does command respect from his players.

Learning lessons

If we’ve learned something about Rooney so far is that his three managerial appointments have been poorly timed and marked by huge external factors. And that he’s well liked and regarded. But how does he fit at Argyle?

We’ve already discussed the cultural fit – which I feel is problematic. And then we have other lessons from the Foster era.

The backroom staff

One problem from the Foster era was the lack of a backroom staff, and that was one huge benefit of bringing in an established name. Rooney’s backroom at Birmingham included John O’Shea and Ashley Cole – who are unlikely to follow. He also seems to rate Carl Robinson, who may join him. More likely is Pete Shuttleworth, Head of Tactical Analysis who worked with Rooney at Derby, as assistant and analyst, before joining him at DC United.

The most crucial aspect of hiring Rooney is who else we get in. Should the club really go big on an assistant manager – it could change the complexion entirely.

Transfer policy

Asking Rooney to come in and impart his ideas on last year’s squad will be really difficult. It points to a busy window in the transfer market which is really exciting.

Could Rooney’s draw and connections kick start a summer of talent never before seen at Home Park?

Yes it could – if Rooney’s reputation in playing circles remains intact.

But how much will the transfer policy be data driven (something that has worked so well for us) and how much will be on Rooney’s contacts. This is something that went wrong after Foster - although his contacts within England’s youth pale in comparison to Rooney’s.

Hallett’s huge gamble

Digging deeper into Rooney’s career has offered a window into why the Argyle board may be sympathetic to a Rooney appointment

1. He has everything to prove – and could be a last throw of the dice. Rooney is well thought of as a coach, and he will be hugely motivated to get this right.

2. Argyle is a nurturing environment that’s Rooney has not had before. His last appointment he wasn’t even given a transfer window or pre-season. It must be assumed that the board will back Rooney, and that his presence could be linked to investment that could bring talent to Argyle not seen before.

3. This would put Rooney at the heart of the rebuild, and for the first time give him the chance to build something – but with realistic support and guard rails.

4. Argyle against the world. The underdogs of the division bring in the most underdog head coach. In his statement post Birmingham sacking, Rooney referred to himself as a fighter. Argyle are fighters – maybe the match isn’t so hard to see after all.

Why this is a huge gamble

But this is a huge gamble. Argyle are a data driven club, and Rooney’s data speaks for itself. But you do have to look beyond the numbers, and perhaps Rooney’s story is to the benefit of Argyle.

My biggest reservations come not through win percentages, but culture.

Will this change Argyle – and in what way? And can we cope with that change? Can we cope with the circus and the scrutiny.

And can the fan base be united behind Rooney? I hope so. It’s not the decision I would have made – but perhaps there’s method in the madness. And perhaps the devil will be in the detail of who is made his assistant, backroom staff and the players brought in around him.