On The Road
FRUSTRATION FOR ENGLAND LEGEND AS DERBY FACE SOME HOME TRUTHS ROONEY CAN’T STOP THE ROT FOR RAMS
AT 2.25pm on a chilly autumn afternoon, England’s most prolific goalscorer jogged on to the pitch to warm up for the 875th competitive game of his career.
The Derby coaches’ words of encouragement and the thud of boot on ball echoed around the empty stands as Wayne Rooney and his team-mates completed shooting and passing drills in the surreal, sterile atmosphere of football in the Covid era.
An hour later, Rooney cut a dejected, helpless figure. His team were three down at home to Blackburn and heading for a third straight defeat, the former England captain — clearly short of fitness — overrun by players who will not come close to achieving what he has accomplished in the game.
Take nothing away from Rovers’ midfield three of Joe Rothwell, Bradley Johnson and Lewis Holtby, outstanding in a team who look capable of a promotion challenge. Yet Rooney is the most gifted English footballer of his generation and it is uncomfortable to watch him struggle.
The dream was for Rooney to inspire the Rams to promotion while learning from and assisting Phillip Cocu. Nine months on, Derby are 22nd and, because Rooney remains a key player, his contribution to the coaching effort is necessarily limited.
Rooney had a huge impact after making his debut in January, and was praised by Cocu for his help with preparation and tactics.
Performances improved dramatically, Rooney inspired his team-mates and — either side of lockdown — the Rams were briefly in play-off contention.
Those days are long gone. Derby have won only two of their past 11 matches and one of those was on penalties against League Two club Barrow.
Rooney lacks sharpness after a back problem. The 34-year-old has ambitions of management and, if Derby’s poor form costs
Cocu his job, Rooney would be the logical replacement.
Yet the task at Derby is tough: bringing academy products into the first team with little room for manoeuvre in the transfer market and key players sold.
Though the youngsters are talented — particularly midfielder Max Bird and forward Louie Sibley — they are nowhere near the level of a teenage Rooney.
Owner Mel Morris continues to search for investors and the EFL have appealed against the decision of an independent panel to clear Derby of breaking spending rules, while the absence of crowds is exacting a huge financial toll. It would be a very difficult job for a rookie boss.
‘The club is in a rebuilding phase,’ says Jim Wheeler, chair of supporters’ group the Rams Trust. ‘ They will be doing extremely well if they make the play-offs this season.
‘Having Rooney has been a good thing. Every fan will be able to tell the younger generations they saw Wayne Rooney play for Derby. He was inspiring the team when he arrived but it may be asking a lot of him to carry so many young players through games.’
Despite his physical condition, Rooney’s class remains. One exquisite flick in the second half sent Kamil Jozwiak clear and should have produced a goal. But he was largely a passenger against Tony Mowbray’s fast, powerful team.
At full time, Rooney was involved in an animated discussion with referee Andy Woolmer. Some things never change.
Derby need more of the old magic before it’s too late.