Brutal Wayne Rooney reveals he became Plymouth manager because he ‘doesn’t want to be the next Gary Neville’

WAYNE ROONEY mocked Gary Neville and make a cheeky confession about his own wife as he enjoyed his first press conference as Plymouth Argyle manager.

The Manchester United and England legend was in mischievous mood after arriving back in the West Country following his Euro 2024 punditry for the BBC in Germany.

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The 38-year-old’s first target was ex-club and country team-mate Neville .

The two natives of the North West still get on well.

But that didn’t save Nev from some scathing banter over his brief managerial record – and his resulting decision to stay as a pundit rather than return to the dugout.

The former defender, 49, was a one-club man as a player, via 19 years at United.

And he was also a single-team manager, although not in the sense he would have liked.

Nev racked up just three wins in 16 LaLiga games with Valencia, lasting just three months before being sacked in March 2016.

In contrast, Rooney has been a boss for four years.

Beginning with a much-respected reign at troubled Derby, he then had a mediocre 15 months with MLS side DC United and a dire three-month spell at Birmingham last season.

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And asked why he was returning to management , a beaming Rooney joked: “Because I don’t want to be the next Gary Neville!”

Nev himself has openly admitted he struggled in the dugout.

ROONEY'S RECORD AS A BOSS

FORMER England, Everton and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has bossed three clubs.

And so far he is way short of showing he can be as good a manager as he was a player.

Rooney impressed during financially-testing times in charge of Derby before resigning.

He then left MLS club DC United by mutual consent and was sacked after an incredible three-month slide down the Championship with Birmingham.

Here’s his record, with matches in charge at each club and average points per game (PPG):

Derby player-caretaker manager, November 2020-Jan 2021 – 11 games, PPG 1.18.

Derby, Jan 2021 – June 2024 – 73 games, 1.14.
RESIGNED

DC United, July 2022 – October 2023 – 53 games, 1.04.
LEFT BY MUTUAL CONSENT.

Birmingham, October 2023 – January 2024 – 15 games, 0.67.
SACKED.

May 2024 – appointed Plymouth manager.

As recently as May he told the Stick to Football podcast how Athletic Bilbao chief Ernesto Valverde had made him feel “massively inferior” with his tactical changes.

Rooney, meanwhile, also revealed his surprise method of persuading wife Coleen to move to Devon for his latest job in the Championship.

The former Everton hero said: “I told her it was the Monaco of England!”

Rooney stressed, however, he already feels settled in the beautiful countryside and coastal areas of Devon and Cornwall.

He added: “Every person I’ve met has been really welcoming.

“I’ve had a chat with quite a few people.

“This is my home now, this is where I’m working and living.”

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