Plymouth Argyle appointed Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney at the start of the 2024-25 season, hoping his leadership could establish the club as a competitive force in the EFL Championship. However, results fell far short of expectations, culminating in a mutual decision for Rooney to step down after the team hit a significant low point in the league.
Earlier this month, Argyle chairman Simon Hallett publicly expressed his support for Rooney, but Sunday’s loss to Oxford United—a crucial relegation clash—proved to be the breaking point. The 2-0 defeat left Plymouth firmly rooted to the bottom of the Championship table, sealing the fate of Rooney’s tenure.
Apart from thanking Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip (the Board of Plymouth Argyle), Rooney expressed gratitude toward the club’s staff and fans: “Thanks also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their efforts and support during my time as Head Coach and I wish them all the best for the future.”
Plymouth earned promotion to the Championship in 2023, their first return to the second tier since 2010. Despite narrowly avoiding relegation last season, finishing just one point above Birmingham City with 50 points, the club aimed for a more stable campaign this year. Unfortunately, under Rooney, stability never materialized.
In 23 league matches, Argyle managed just four wins, six draws, and 13 losses, accumulating a mere 18 points. The team also set an unwanted record by conceding 49 goals in their first 22 games—an alarming defensive stat that highlighted their struggles.
Offensively, Plymouth lacked firepower, scoring only 22 goals all season and recording just one clean sheet, which came in a 1-0 victory against Portsmouth in November. That win, ironically, was their last, followed by three draws and six defeats in their subsequent matches, conceding 25 goals during that run.
Rooney’s coaching career: A contrasting legacy
Wayne Rooney’s playing career is the stuff of legends, marked by his status as Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer and winner of five Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy. However, his managerial career has been a stark contrast.
His first coaching stint at Derby County in 2021 began with promise, lifting the team from last place to safety. However, a poor run of form left Derby narrowly avoiding relegation by a single point. In the following season, despite Rooney’s efforts, Derby were relegated after suffering a points deduction.
Rooney then moved to the United States to manage DC United in 2023, where he endured a disappointing campaign, finishing 12th out of 15 teams in the MLS Eastern Conference. He then had a disastrous time at Birmingham, taking them from sixth to 20th in 15 matches, and got sacked after two and a half months. Last example is this tenure at Plymouth, exposing that Rooney’s coaching career is yet to take off.
