Sinclair: Good career move for Wayne to stay at Derby

TREVOR Sinclair has backed Wayne Rooney to stay with Derby County due to his relationship with the players, the fans and prospective new owner Chris Kirchner.

Rooney showed incredible leadership last season amid a chaotic campaign off the pitch as the club was put into administration, hit with a transfer embargo and deducted 21 points.

But despite being hamstrung, he inspired some wonderful performances that at one stage had put them seemingly on the brink of a great escape.

With prospective new owner

Kirchner closing in on a deal to take full control of the club – which has a completion date target of May 31 – there is cautious optimism about the future.

Talksport pundit Sinclair, the former Manchester City, West Ham United and QPR winger, feels Rooney will want to stick around, particularly given the bond he has with the club, which has strengthened significantly.

“I think he will stay,” he said. “He’s got a relationship with the players, with the fans and with the people coming into the football club.

“I feel Wayne will want to get promoted from League One and, if he does, that will be an excellent achievement for his managerial career and his coaches.

“Then we will see. Maybe he will stay with Derby or maybe bigger clubs looking at him think he’s done a great job, he’s been loyal and he’s been punished for things out of his control.

“But he’s stayed around, he’s shown he’s got the stomach to go to League One and the stadiums it involves and then get them promoted again.

“That will bode well for his coaching career.”