Plymouth Argyle in line to appoint Wayne Rooney in shock move | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney is in line for a surprise return to management with Plymouth Argyle as he prepares for talks with the Championship side over their vacancy this week.

The Pilgrims lost Steven Schumacher midway through the previous campaign as he decided to join Stoke City, and the club turned to former England youth coach Ian Foster.

However, that was a move that backfired, as Plymouth endured a torrid run that left them battling relegation, with Foster sacked.

That prompted director of football Neil Dewsnip to take over during the run-in, and he kept the side in the league on a dramatic final day.

Since survival was secured, Dewsnip has been tasked with finding a permanent head coach, and the Telegraph reporter John Percy has revealed that Rooney is in line to take over.

“Wayne Rooney is in line for a potential return to management with Championship club Plymouth Argyle.

“Rooney, the former England and Manchester United captain, is understood to have been approached for an interview this week and is a candidate to take charge.”

Interestingly, the update states that Dewsnip is the one behind the push for Rooney, with the two having a relationship that goes back a long way.

“Rooney was at Everton’s academy as a boy when Dewsnip was in charge and the pair are believed to have maintained a close relationship.”

Wayne Rooney has a point to prove

This would obviously be a bold move from Argyle as Rooney’s previous job did not go to plan, as he struggled when in charge of Birmingham City.

The Man Utd legend was named as John Eustace’s successor when the club were in the mix for a top six finish, but he struggled to get results as Blues rapidly dropped down the table.

That saw Rooney lose his job at St. Andrew’s, and Blues were eventually relegated, with his record of ten points from 15 games a key factor in their struggles.

So, that was understandably damaging for the reputation of the 38-year-old, who has previous managing experience with Derby and DC United, and Rooney had impressed with the Rams, who he was in charge of during a particularly challenging period.

Nevertheless, there will be a spotlight on the boss when he does return, and Rooney will no doubt want to prove that he can do a good job at this level given how it went for him in the West Midlands.

That obviously makes his appointment a risk from Plymouth’s perspective, but he will undoubtedly raise the profile of the club, and Rooney could be key to attracting new players to help improve the side.

There is pressure on the board at Home Park to get this right, as they saw first hand how damaging a poor appointment could be, with the decision to turn to Foster not working out at all.

That saw the team in a real relegation fight, and the challenge for the next boss will be to ensure the club can sit in mid-table and perhaps look up the table instead of nervously over their shoulder.