Wayne Rooney sacked by Plymouth amid ‘directionless’ Championship season
Championship side Plymouth Argyle have parted ways with Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney.
Plymouth confirmed on Tuesday morning that Rooney has departed by mutual consent.
Argyle are currently bottom of the Championship with 18 points and four wins from 23 matches, leaving them four points from safety.
A club statement confirmed: “Plymouth Argyle can confirm that the club and Head Coach Wayne Rooney have mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect.
“Departing the club with Rooney will be Assistant Head Coach Mike Phelan and first team coach Simon Ireland.
“First team coach Kevin Nancekivell and Club Captain Joe Edwards will lead the team for our Sky Bet Championship match against Bristol City on New Year’s Day. Daryl Flahavan will continue as Goalkeeping coach.
“We would like to thank Wayne and his team for all their efforts and wish them well for the future.
“The club will be making no further comment at this stage with updates on our new first team management staff in due course.”
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Commenting on his exit, Manchester United icon Rooney said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, in particular Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip, who I shared great relationships with.
“Thanks also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their efforts and support during my time as head coach and I wish them all the best for the future.
“To the Green Army – thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever.
“I would also like to give a special mention to my coaching staff Kevin Nancekivell, Simon Ireland, Darryl Flahavan and Mike Phelan for their knowledge, dedication, help and support.
“Plymouth Argyle will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to look out for and take interest in their results.”
Plymouth’s most recent result was a 2-0 defeat away to Oxford United, which came three days after a 4-0 loss against Frank Lampard’s Coventry City.
Their last win came at home to Portsmouth on November 5.
Defensively, Rooney’s side have been shambolic. In the second tier, Plymouth have faced the most shots (391), the most shots on target (141), have the highest xG against total (44) and have conceded the most goals (51).
BBC Sport journalist Brent Pilnick says Plymouth’s form left the club’s hierarchy with little choice but to sack their manager.
Wayne Rooney’s time at Home Park has not been without its problems – particularly with injuries in attack.
Striker Muhamed Tijani was brought in from Slavia Prague but has played just three times due to injury, while exciting winger Ibrahim Cissoko has missed large chunks of the season as well.
Experienced Argyle hands such as Morgan Whittaker and Joe Edwards have also been out with injury as Plymouth have looked, especially away from home, directionless at times.
Just four wins at home and a string of awful away performances have left Argyle with little choice but to change direction in the hope of staying up.
What the future holds for Rooney is less certain. He was well-received as a pundit during last summer’s Euros, but after failing at Birmingham City and now Plymouth Argyle it would be a brave board that would appoint him to a management role any time soon.
Argyle must now look for a third permanent manager in eight months – whoever it is has a huge task trying to keep the Pilgrims in the second tier.
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