It’s over to Roo as Cocu is axed
WAYNE ROONEY and Shay Given are among the quartet who will take temporary charge of Derby after Phillip Cocu was axed yesterday.
The former PSV Eindhoven boss – who also played for the Dutch giants as well as Barcelona and Holland – was given his marching orders 16 months after replacing Frank Lampard with the Rams bottom of the Championship.
Assistant manager Chris van der Weerden and specialist first-team coach Twan Scheepers have also left the club.
Rooney, Given, Liam Rosenior and first-team development coach Justin Walker will oversee matters until Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan’s takeover is finally completed, with the new owner set to bring in his own manager.
Former Manchester United and England star Rooney will be among the candidates, with ex-United team-mate Darren Fletcher likely to join his management team if he gets the nod.
A statement released by Derby yesterday said: “The club would like to place on record its appreciation for the way Phillip and his staff conducted themselves in what were some extremely challenging situations during his tenure.”
Cocu took over as Rams boss during the summer of 2019 following the departure of Lampard to Chelsea.
However, Derby have managed just six points this season.
Earlier this month the club confirmed that a deal had been agreed “in principle” for the sale of the club to Derventio Holdings, which is owned by Sheikh Khaled.
The sheikh is the cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
And the deal to buy the Rams is reported to be in the region of £60million.