Wayne Rooney: The factor that may make his stint at Plymouth Argyle better than Birmingham City - View | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle have a new manager, with Wayne Rooney somewhat surprisingly stepping in to fill the vacancy.

The Pilgrims have been looking for a new manager since sacking previous head coach Ian Foster at the beginning of April.

Plymouth brought in Foster as Steven Schumacher’s replacement, as he decided to join Stoke City earlier in the campaign.

However, appointing Foster didn’t quite go to plan, as supporters never took to him and results were changing, so much so that the club was falling closer and closer to the relegation zone.

The hierarchy at Home Park decided to act with a few games of the season remaining, and it was a decision that worked out, as the Pilgrims finished a place and a point above the dotted line.

That means they will once again be playing Championship football next season, and it looks as though they want Rooney to be the man at the helm.

Wayne Rooney lands Plymouth Argyle job following dismal Birmingham City stint

Rooney had been out of work since being sacked by Birmingham City in January.

The former Manchester United and England captain was brought in by the Blues under the new ownership, but it was a move that never worked out for either party.

So, since then, the 38-year-old has been doing punditry work and was in line to work for the BBC on their coverage of the Euros in the summer.

However, that is now set to potentially change as Rooney has been confirmed as Foster's replacement in Devon, and the England icon believes that Plymouth is the ideal next step for his career in the dugout.

“Taking this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career - and I would like to thank the Chairman and Board for the faith they have shown in me," Rooney said.

“This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football - and to entertain the Green Army.

“I have experienced first-hand how talented the existing group of players is here - and also the incredible atmosphere at Home Park. The club is on an exciting long-term journey, with a progressive plan in place. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it."

Timing of Plymouth Argyle job could help Wayne Rooney this time around

It is always hard for any manager to walk into a club midway through the campaign, put his ideas across, and then hope for it to work overnight - that was essentially what had to happen at Birmingham City for Rooney to get off the ground running.

Rooney went into Birmingham with his own ideas, and he would have wanted to implement them on the team as soon as possible, while he would have spoken about making changes in January so he could have players in his squad that fit into his style.

These will have been things that he would have stressed to the Birmingham City board, and they would probably have had to have a bit of patience as well.

But that wasn’t the case, and he was let go by the Blues, rightly or wrongly. So, while Plymouth Argyle fans may be nervous about the former Manchester United man coming into their club as manager, there are a couple of factors that could mean his time at the club is better than it was at Birmingham.

One of those is that if he were to join the club now, it would mean he would get a full summer transfer window under his belt.

This is of huge importance for any new manager, as it means the 38-year-old can speak to the club and state which players he would like them to bring in, as he either thinks they will suit what he wants to do or they will improve the club.

Another factor that will help Rooney settle into Plymouth better is that he will get a pre-season under his belt before Plymouth begin their Championship campaign.

Again, while a summer transfer window is key, there is no better time to implement a style and get your ideas across than in a pre-season.

These five to six weeks will allow Rooney to put his ideas across to the team, get his message on what he wants them to do in and out of possession, and also spend time with new players if they join the club.

These may not seem important, but they are key to any new manager, and Rooney will cherish this opportunity, as he was never given that at Birmingham City.

His last job will have left a bitter taste in Rooney’s mouth, and while some fans will not be keen on this appointment, it must be remembered that he has managed nearly 100 games in the Championship, 26 of which he has won, picking up 103 points, which means 1.07 per game, as per Transfermarkt.

The 38-year-old will have that edge with him, as he will want to prove many of the doubters wrong in his next job, so Plymouth appointing the former Man United striker could be a really good move by the football club.