Wayne Rooney's time at St Andrew's came to an abrupt end on Tuesday, but the former Derby County and D.C. United still have a future. game — either as a manager or as an expert. Photo: Steve Bardens/Getty Images
The burden of fame that comes with professional football has sometimes made life miserable for Wayne Rooney, although for one of the greatest players in English football history, it is a requirement that he seems even more miserable without football.
In the Amazon Prime documentary, which first aired while he was Derby County manager, he told stories of two-day drinking binges as a young footballer. He did not enjoy the trappings of fame — rather, these activities were carried out at home and were a means of coping with all that came with being the best English talent of his generation.
His wife Coleen, who has chronicled the ups and downs of their marriage for everyone to see, has long felt that her husband required «keeping an eye on». Football management at least offered him a reassuring program of training and matches. A steady rhythm dictated by the rhythm of the season, which provided a structure to a life built on incredible gaming talent and competitive spirit.
As for whether he succeeded, three jobs in three years, culminating in 83 unlucky days at Birmingham City, this question was not answered.
At Derby, where he was given the job after his playing career ended, there were glimmers of success, although the financial situation he was handed , made it difficult to evaluate his performance. Back at DC United in Major League Soccer, limited ownership ambitions again made it difficult to assess Rooney's contribution.
Rooney played his final as a professional for Derby County in November 2020 and became the club's manager the following January. Photo: Molly Darlington/Action Images
In Birmingham, where he was appointed under the strangest circumstances, the result was disastrous for the career of a young manager, even with such a stellar name as Rooney.
Of course, many great managers have been sacked, including Sir Alex Ferguson at St Mirren, even if it was a political exile. Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez were both relegated from the league in the early years of their careers. Jurgen Klopp couldn't get Mainz out of Bundesliga 2 for what seemed like forever. In all cases, other clubs saw potential and progress. The question is whether they see the same with Rooney.
It may be difficult to tell. Despite this, Rooney has contributed more in his 38 years than many could do in five lifetimes. He is shrewder than the occasional wildness in his life would suggest, and is an accomplished public entertainer. For those of us who were there that evening 21 years ago at Goodison Park, when the 17-year-old prodigy spoke haltingly — and barely audibly — after signing his first professional contract, it was an amazing self-taught journey. Whether all this experience means he is ready to become a top manager or even just a manager is unclear.
One thing that became known to the public when he was in his thirties was his sense of humor. It was always difficult for the player to reconcile the silent public persona with the funny personality described by his teammates. But it gradually became clear, and his line on an Everton fan channel (said deadpan) about the disappointment he faced when training with his Goodison heroes for the first time as a teenager became a personal favourite.
🚨🗣️| Wayne Rooney: «I remember thinking… This is nonsense.» 😂 Wayne Rooney spoke about his time at Everton before moving to Manchester United. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/61wtNZnKnE
— UnitedCover (@UnitedCover_), December 5, 2022
Rooney achieved notable success as a newspaper columnist. His very rare articles for the Sunday Times are full of bold predictions and strong views. He picked Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup from afar. He confidently declared that Manchester City crushed Real Madrid in the second leg of last season's Champions League semi-final when others wavered. He stands by his opinion.
His old teammate Roy Keane always stood up against the expert class as a player. Even as a former player, he still talked about it in his second autobiography. Then a funny thing happened: Keen gradually realized that he was an outstanding expert and just an ordinary manager. Now every Sunday on Sky Sports and at least one other associated YouTube show, Keane plays Roy Keane, a character as recognizable to the British public as any Saturday night entertainer or prime-time star.
Perhaps it's not the success Keane had planned for himself, but it's a success nonetheless. Rooney, too, may look at this and wonder what will occupy him in the coming decades for a man whose life has always moved forward. He was a player, a coach, a great hope for the nation and, at times, a figure of hatred — and he will not turn 40 until next October.
Perhaps, as a person who knows, he will have to be looked after. he would have said it best. But there is still a lot he can do before he returns to management.
No manager can be written off after the first major failure, although none can afford to do too much. Rooney, who has this colossal life behind him, has much more opportunities.
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