Why Wayne Rooney took the Plymouth job: ‘I don’t want to be the next Gary Neville’

Wayne Rooney fired a light-hearted jibe at a former Manchester United and England team-mate in revealing what has motivated him to return to management by admitting: “I don’t want to become the next Gary Neville.”

Viewers of the BBC have been given an insight into the football brain of Rooney

Over the last three weeks as one of their pundits during coverage of the European Championship in Germany.

However, Rooney has since returned home to start life in his new job as manager of Championship side Plymouth Argyle. Back in the managerial hot-seat for the first time since January, when he parted company with Birmingham City, the former England international was asked for his reasons behind this new post in deepest Devon.

“I have a desire and a passion for football, it’s all I’ve known since I was a baby,” he said, once the laughs from his Neville jibe had died down. “I started playing when I was 16, went straight into management at the end of my playing career, so the last few months have been very strange for me.

“Since January, it’s been a real strange time for me. Being at home, of course I’ve done bits of TV work, but my real desire was to get back into management.

“I had a timescale where I didn’t want to go in somewhere mid-season, I did that at DC United and Birmingham, and it makes things a lot more difficult to get your point across and get the players performing as you want. It was therefore really important that I went in somewhere straight from pre-season, which I’m delighted to do here at Argyle.

“Football is my love, it’s what I know, it’s what I want to do - and having those few months out I did find it difficult.”

Having managed previously at both Derby County and Birmingham in the Championship, as well as a stint in the United States with DC United, Rooney is well aware the football public will be casting a close eye over him and the Plymouth, who managed to stay up on the final day of last term to preserve their status in English football’s second tier.

It is, according to the man himself, a ‘golden opportunity’ for him to showcase his footballing knowledge. “When you speak to former players, especially ones who have played at the top level, a lot of them players will not go into management or drop down from the Premier League,” added Rooney. “My desire to manage and improve myself, as well as players, is well and truly burning inside of me.

“Having those months off to reflect on that, it’s made that desire even stronger. When this opportunity came up, I couldn’t wait to go through the process. That’s not me being cocky or anything, it’s more about me being confident in my own ability. I always felt my information, my experience, if I went through that process, I would get the job.

“As I said, it’s a great opportunity for me to take this club further forward to where it has been in the last five years. In football you always have to prove yourself. I did that for 20 years as a player and it’s no different as a coach. Whatever job you have, you have to prove yourself. Pressure comes with the job and you leave yourself open if you don’t get results. Those are the consequences, as was the case at Birmingham.”

Although Rooney’s wife Coleen and the rest of his family will remain in the north of the country, rather a switch to the “Monaco of England” as he described Plymouth to his better half, the former Everton and United striker says he intends to make the most of his new surroundings, getting about the local community and seeing what the West Country has to offer, including the local delicacy of pasties.

“Nance [Kevin Nancekivell, first team coach] has already told me off a few times, because I actually like chicken and mushroom,” joked Rooney. “He keeps putting a meat one in front of me, so I’m going to have to change.”

Pasties aside, Rooney will be taking charge of an ambitious Argyle side, full of youthful talent, hellbent on making their move up the Championship this coming season.

“Although I’ve been in Germany, lot of works has been going on behind the scenes, as you’ve seen with the signings we’ve made this week,” said Rooney. “There have been a few sleepless nights, putting together presentations for players and things like that, but I’m happy to be here now and meeting everyone in and around the club.

“I think we’ve got a good squad, a good group of young players as well, but of course I want to bring players in as well. We’ve already started with that and we’re hoping to get a few more in. That’s the message I’ve given to you and the players as well. Ultimately, the message to the players is, everyone has a chance.

“It’s on those players to prove to me they deserve to play - that’s how I have always worked. Hard work is a very good skill to have, but my job is not just to give them the details of how to make them better and tactically get things right, but also to improve them as players as well. Whether that’s young players or senior players, it’s a good opportunity for me to give them my information and see them improve.”