ROONEY’S RAMS REVIVAL
LUKE PHELPS LOOKS AT HOW WAYNE ROONEY IS SETTLING INTO MANAGERIAL LIFE AT DERBY COUNTY
IT ONLY seems like yesterday that a young Wayne Rooney was lighting up the Premier League. Today, the 35-year-old is in the dugout at Derby County, taking up the dubious title of ‘interim’ boss.
Within a year of making his Rams debut as a player, he was thrust into the hotseat, backed up by a team of coaches including Liam Rosenior and Shay Given.
Now having stepped back from playing matters to take full responsibility of this Derby side, fans are getting much more than they expected.
At the time of writing, Rooney had overseen nine games in the Championship. He’d tasted defeat in just two of those, picking up wins against Millwall, Swansea and Birmingham.
Their 4-0 win in the latter at St Andrew’s was the product of careful planning and preparation, and on the back of consistent performances that pulled Derby out of the bottom three.
They’ve since dropped back in, but the atmosphere surrounding the club is polar to that of three months ago.
Rooney, Manchester United and England’s all-time top goalscorer, has proved a shrewd defensive manager. Under his watch, Derby had conceded just four opening games in charge.
He’s bringing through an exciting crop the likes of Jason Knight, 19, and Krystian Bielik, 23, have shone, one, with Bielik’s Polish compatriot, winger er Kamil Jozwiak, 22, emerging as a constant nstant threat.
At the other end, d, Derby are lacking goals. But they’ve uncovered a new cult Kazim-Richards. The 34-year-old former Turkey international, nal, once of Brighton playing his football ll in Mexico, has netted three Championship hip goals for the Rams.
What we’re seeing ing is a completely different ent Derby County side.
Rooney proved a contentious replacecement for Phillip Cocu, but the fans have warmed to him. His permanent appointment seems imminent and thoroughly deserved. His initial arrival at Pride Park as a player stirred some controversy, too. Joining on the back of funding from club sponsor 32Red, Rooney was welcomed as the sta star r he was. But, quickly, ffans fans grew concerned at his performances on the pitch, which had deteriorated in the holding role he hew was deployed in. With W him out of the equation eq playing-wise, it’s allowed al the likes of Knight and an Bielik to cement their place pl in the starting line-up, and an contribute to what is an increasingly incre exciting Derby side.
There is plenty of work to be done ddon yet, t though. th h
Derby D are far from safe and Rooney will know that his side aren’t out of the woods. wo The next couple of months will be crucial cru in their bid for survival and it will be a stern st test of his managerial credentials. His H years of experience as a player under und Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United Uni should stand him in good stead. If any of that has rubbed off on Rooney, then the it should make for good viewing. His H staff at Pride Park will be working keep kee Derby in the Championship, but, for now, now the buck stops with Rooney.
If he is given the nod permanently, he’ll be the second England stalwart to become co manager after Frank Lampard the season se before last.
As with Lampard, could it prove just a stepping stone to something much, much bigger for Wayne Rooney?