Wayne Rooney could reportedly return to work immediately after Plymouth showed the door to the Manchester United legend.
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Plymouth got rid of Rooney on New Year's EveLeft the Pilgrims at the bottom of the Championship tableFuture in punditry could awaitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Rooney’s tenure at Plymouth Argyle was brief and tumultuous. Appointed just four months ago, the 38-year-old inherited a struggling side but was unable to reverse their fortunes. Under his leadership, Plymouth endured a nine-game winless streak that began in November, including six defeats, the latest being a 2-0 loss to Oxford United.
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Despite his challenges in management, Rooney’s future remains bright, with reporting that he could return to punditry work almost immediately.
"Wayne is regarded as one of the best pundits in the business," a TV insider said.
"He’s very, very knowledgeable about the game. And even though he’s actually quite a shy person, he really feels at home in a TV studio. It’s been a rubbish end to 2024 for Wayne, but he’s not going to be out of work for long. He’ll be offered punditry work straight away and there’s interest from Sky in a potential long-term deal to tie him down as a pundit."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Rooney is expected to accept punditry offers in the short term, he remains determined to succeed as a football manager. Sources suggest he still harbours ambitions of proving himself in the dugout, even as the allure of a more stable and financially rewarding punditry career looms.
"Wayne still harbours ambitions of making it as a manager," the same source revealed.
"But, like Gary Neville, it might end up being the case that he can carve out a more successful and lucrative career as a pundit rather than as a manager in the dugout."
DID YOU KNOW?
Rooney’s dismissal from Plymouth marks a disappointing conclusion to a challenging year, which also saw him part ways with Birmingham City after an 83-day stint that ended in nine defeats from 15 games.
