Rooney: I’m ambitious to become manager
COACHING TEAM FOR ROBINS CLASH TOMORROW HAVE SPOKEN TO RAMS’ PROSPECTIVE NEW OWNERS
DERBY County player-coach Wayne Rooney has reiterated that he wants to be a manager one day.
Rooney along with specialist firstteam coach Liam Rosenior, goalkeeper coach Shay Given and firstteam development coach Justin Walker is part of a four-man team in charge of the Rams for tomorrow’s Championship clash against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
This follows the departure of manager Phillip Cocu at the weekend by mutual agreement leaving the Rams looking for a new manager.
Asked if he wants the job, Rooney said: “I have made it quite clear over the last few years my ambition is to go into management, especially when you see the likes of Steven Gerrard (Rangers), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Scott Parker (Fulham) all getting good jobs and doing really well.
“I wouldn’t be an ambitious person if I sat here and said I didn’t want the job.
“At the minute we are working together and, if that works, I think that could be a way forward also.”
Rosenior, who joined Rooney at yesterday’s pre-match press conference, was asked the same question.
“It’s one thing wanting the job, it’s another thing are you the right man for the job and that depends on how the owners see the club moving forward,” said Rosenior.
“Wayne has unbelievable qualities.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Wayne is going to be an exceptional manager.
“In saying that, I would love to think that one day in a different path I could be an outstanding manager in my own right as well.
“Everyone wants to go as high as they can in their career but it is more about the decision makers and who they think the right person is.
“It might be Wayne, it might be me, it might be someone from outside the club.
“At the moment all I am thinking is that we win games of football because there is a bigger picture than what just me, and what just Wayne wants.
“This is about a huge football club being in a position it shouldn’t be at the moment and we have an unbelievable opportunity to effect that in the short term.”
Rooney and the rest of the Rams coaching team have spoken to the club’s prospective new owners.
A takeover by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan of the Bin Zayed Group is imminent.
The appointment of a new manager is expected to happen after the takeover has been completed.
Rosenior mentioned the meeting during yesterday’s press conference.
“We had a really nice zoom call for around half an hour, all of us as a four, as a coaching staff, with Stephen Pearce, the CEO, with Mel (chairman Mel Morris), and with Midhat (Midhat Kidwai, Group Managing Director at Bin Zayed Group) of, I don’t want to say the new ownership yet because it is not fully done, but we spoke.
“I think it is really important these conversations stay private at the moment.
“I think it went really, really well.” Rooney also described it as a “good chat” but added: “I think we would all like to keep that private, it is still ongoing.
“It is not really good for us to talk about while it is ongoing.”