The high-profile appointment of Wayne Rooney by Plymouth Argyle as their head coach last summer always had the feel of boom or bust about it.
Even so, the extent to which it has spectacularly backfired for all involved has been quite breathtaking, and it has led to Rooney’s departure by mutual consent after only 25 matches – league and cup – in charge. The disastrous results are one thing, with Argyle bottom of the Championship and on a run of one win from 14 games, but there are more factors at play than just that.
Argyle have over recent years established a deserved reputation as one of the best run clubs in the EFL, consistently making good decisions in all departments.
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That led to their rise from League Two in 2019 to the Championship in 2023 after the excellent appointments of first Ryan Lowe and then Steven Schumacher as manager. However, since the departure of Schumacher to Stoke City in December 2023, the club’s decision-making processes have failed them.
First they appointed Ian Foster as head coach and it soon became evident he was not a good fit at all with Argyle. He lasted only 15 games before he was relieved of his duties.
For a club who have always looked to the mid to long-term rather than taking short-term almost knee-jerk decisions that was quite shocking, but given how badly it had gone under Foster they had no other choice.
Fortunately, Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell were able to guide Argyle to 10 points from their final six fixtures of the season and they retained their Championship status – just.
Given that very close call with relegation, the decision to appoint Rooney as the new head coach in May was surprising, to say the least, especially given he had won just two out of 15 games during a short and unhappy stint at Birmingham City last season.
The powers that be at Argyle insisted they had not brought in Rooney, one of the best footballers of his generation, for any publicity reasons, but because they believed that given the right support he could go on to become an excellent head coach.
There was a lot of initial scepticism among the Green Army, around Plymouth in general and nationally, but Rooney soon won a lot of people over, certainly locally. He chose to live in the heart of the city, he was seen out and about, and posed for every selfie and signed every autograph request.
The Argyle players, most of whom would have been young aspiring footballers when Rooney was starring for Manchester United and England, clearly loved having him at the club.
As Argyle made a decent start to the season, most of the Green Army, even some of the early doubters, bought into Rooney being the boss. He became an honorary Janner in the eyes of many.
What turned out to be the high point of his time at the club came when Morgan Whittaker scored a last-gasp winning goal when the Pilgrims beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Home Park on October 5, leaving them in a comfortable mid-table position of 14th. They were closer to the play-off places than the relegation zone, going into the second international break of the season.
However, then things started to take a downturn, and very rapidly. It began with a 5-0 thrashing at then bottom-of-the-table Cardiff City. Injuries started to mount up, and to key players as well. Inspirational club captain and leader Joe Edwards among them.
The defeats piled up, and heavy ones as well with a 6-1 thrashing at Norwich City on November 26 followed four days later by a 4-0 beating away to Bristol City.
The Christmas and New Year period was always going to be crucial for Argyle, and Rooney, given their slide down towards the bottom of the Championship.
They led three times when they hosted Middlesbrough at Home Park on December 21 but still could not get the win they desperately needed as they drew 3-3. That was followed by two more away defeats, 4-0 away to Coventry City on Boxing Day and 2-0 at Oxford United on Sunday.
When Foster was dismissed by Argyle it came after a 1-0 home defeat by Bristol City on April 1. Tomorrow is the nine-month anniversary of that, and Bristol City are again going to be the opponents at the Theatre of Greens.
Argyle have acted today to move on from Rooney and therefore avoided the possibility of having to change their head coach after another home defeat by the Robins.
Had Rooney stayed on, there would have been a tense atmosphere inside the stadium and it would have turned angry no doubt had Argyle fallen behind in the game, as they have generally tended to do this season.
Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney arriving for the Championship match against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday, December 29, 2024 – Photo: Alan Stanford/PPAUK
Instead, with long-serving and hugely popular first team coach Kevin Nancekivell and Edwards taking charge of the team, the mood of resignation which has started to take hold around Home Park will at least be temporarily lifted and replaced by some optimism.
After the early doubts about Rooney’s appointment, I think pretty much everyone wanted it to work out for him at Argyle – the players, fans, staff and even people with only a passing interest in the club but who want to see it succeed because it is good for the city.
Given Rooney’s fame and fortune he did not need to be the club’s head coach. He could have been a well-paid TV pundit or whatever else he chose to do with his life. He did it because winning football games is what has driven him all of his life, since his Premier league debut as a precocious 16-year-old talent for Everton.
After his fabulous playing career ended he looked to management to continue to get that adrenalin rush but after his stints at Birmingham and now Argyle there have to be very real doubts he will ever manage a team again.
On a personal note, I enjoyed my time working as ‘the local reporter’ with Rooney in charge of Argyle. I found him to be very down-to-earth, with no ego at all despite all that he has achieved in football.
Even towards the end, when tough questions had to be asked of him, he understood the situation and answered them without any hint of resentment. I totally respect him for that and wish him all the best for the future.
In the end, though, a risky appointment by Argyle has proved costly, not only for Rooney and Argyle’s results on the pitch but to the club’s reputation for shrewd and sound decision making as well. That will now need to be rebuilt under whoever is brought in next.
Given the severity of the Pilgrims’ position in the Championship, and with the January transfer window about to open, you would hope and expect it will not take long for Rooney’s successor to be named.
You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE
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