Wayne Rooney sacking leaves Plymouth fans in painfully awkward situation on January 1
Plymouth Argyle fans face an awkward start to 2025 in the wake of Wayne Rooney’s departure from the club. The former Manchester United star left his post as manager by mutual agreement on Monday after just 23 games in charge. Wayne Rooney leaves Plymouth with the club bottom of the ChampionshipGetty Rooney leaves Home Park with the club rooted to the bottom of the Championship with just four league wins and a total of 18 points accumulated. His exit comes after a series of heavy defeats culminating in a disappointing festive period where the Pilgrims were beaten 4-0 at Coventry before slipping to a 2-0 defeat at Oxford. Plymouth released a club statement on Tuesday morning to announce the 39-year-old’s departure in which they thanked the former England international and his team for their efforts. Rooney responded with a respectful parting message of his own before paying tribute to the club’s supporters despite recent disgruntlement in the stands. “To the Green Army, thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever,” said Rooney via the club’s official website. Whilst Rooney may have given his final address to the Plymouth fans, it appears that he will be sticking around for a while longer. That’s because fans who have already purchased the club’s official 2025 calendar will have noticed that the month of January features none other than the now ex-Plymouth boss. That means it will not be a case of out with the old and in with the new on Wednesday morning as Rooney’s presence will continue to be felt in households across Devon. By the time the calendar page has turned, Plymouth fans will be hoping for an upturn in the club’s fortunes and a new manager in place. Rooney’s appointment was always viewed as a risky one following an ill-fated three-month spell in charge of Birmingham where he won just two of his 15 games in the dugout. View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/pafc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Rooney was unable to instil his methods on his playersGetty Plymouth retained their Championship status by the skin of their teeth last season and Rooney’s arrival took many by surprise. What hasn’t surprised many is Rooney’s failure to guide Argyle away from the drop zone as foreseen by talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan. The former Crystal Palace owner was critical of Plymouth’s decision to appoint him, claiming he still has a lot to prove at managerial level. “Evaluation too often is considered to be criticism of fault,” Jordan told talkSPORT in May. “I didn’t think Wayne Rooney merited the job at Birmingham City. “I didn’t think he would do the job at Birmingham City. I don’t think that many people can argue that Wayne Rooney’s managerial career merited taking out a guy who had put the side in the upper echelons of the Championship.” Jordan continued: “I’ve seen nothing in Wayne Rooney’s managerial career that indicates to me, besides the fact he was a wonderful footballer, and that he has the courage of his convictions to articulate himself in the media, that he is going to be a wonderful manager. Simon Jordan believes the jury is out on Rooney’s coaching attributes “Plymouth have been laying and washing around, at the bottom of the Championship and League One, they’ve been up into the Championship on a number of occasions and not really stuck. “They don’t have huge finances, so what is the brief? Is the brief to finish in the Championship and stay there? Is that Wayne Rooney’s brief?”
Plymouth Argyle fans face an awkward start to 2025 in the wake of Wayne Rooney’s departure from the club.
The former Manchester United star left his post as manager by mutual agreement on Monday after just 23 games in charge.
Rooney leaves Home Park with the club rooted to the bottom of the Championship with just four league wins and a total of 18 points accumulated.
His exit comes after a series of heavy defeats culminating in a disappointing festive period where the Pilgrims were beaten 4-0 at Coventry before slipping to a 2-0 defeat at Oxford.
Plymouth released a club statement on Tuesday morning to announce the 39-year-old’s departure in which they thanked the former England international and his team for their efforts.
Rooney responded with a respectful parting message of his own before paying tribute to the club’s supporters despite recent disgruntlement in the stands.
“To the Green Army, thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever,” said Rooney via the club’s official website.
Whilst Rooney may have given his final address to the Plymouth fans, it appears that he will be sticking around for a while longer.
That’s because fans who have already purchased the club’s official 2025 calendar will have noticed that the month of January features none other than the now ex-Plymouth boss.
That means it will not be a case of out with the old and in with the new on Wednesday morning as Rooney’s presence will continue to be felt in households across Devon.
By the time the calendar page has turned, Plymouth fans will be hoping for an upturn in the club’s fortunes and a new manager in place.
Rooney’s appointment was always viewed as a risky one following an ill-fated three-month spell in charge of Birmingham where he won just two of his 15 games in the dugout.
Plymouth retained their Championship status by the skin of their teeth last season and Rooney’s arrival took many by surprise.
What hasn’t surprised many is Rooney’s failure to guide Argyle away from the drop zone as foreseen by talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan.
The former Crystal Palace owner was critical of Plymouth’s decision to appoint him, claiming he still has a lot to prove at managerial level.
“Evaluation too often is considered to be criticism of fault,” Jordan told talkSPORT in May. “I didn’t think Wayne Rooney merited the job at Birmingham City.
“I didn’t think he would do the job at Birmingham City. I don’t think that many people can argue that Wayne Rooney’s managerial career merited taking out a guy who had put the side in the upper echelons of the Championship.”
Jordan continued: “I’ve seen nothing in Wayne Rooney’s managerial career that indicates to me, besides the fact he was a wonderful footballer, and that he has the courage of his convictions to articulate himself in the media, that he is going to be a wonderful manager.
“Plymouth have been laying and washing around, at the bottom of the Championship and League One, they’ve been up into the Championship on a number of occasions and not really stuck.
“They don’t have huge finances, so what is the brief? Is the brief to finish in the Championship and stay there? Is that Wayne Rooney’s brief?”
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