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Manchester United icon Dwight Yorke has slammed Wayne Rooney for his poor start to life with Plymouth Argyle in the Championship. Rooney notably took charge as the new head coach of the club this summer, but things have not gone to plan at Home Park Stadium.
In their first game of the season on August 11, away from home, Plymouth were handed a heavy 4-0 beating at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday. After that humbling defeat, they managed a 1-1 draw against Hull City on August 17.
This is not Wayne Rooney's first time in management, with the former England forward managing Derby County, DC United, and Birmingham City. His time at Birmingham was easily the worst, as he managed just 15 games before getting sacked in January 2024.
Following his poor start to life with the Pilgrims, Dwight Yorke slammed the Plymouth boss during a conversation with CSGOluck (via GOAL):
"We have all tried to defend Wayne Rooney on his managerial record in the chances he has been given but you can only defend him for so long. He’s got a real opportunity to show what he can do and show how he can get his team playing but they got off to the worst start possible."
"So far in management, he’s been given chance after chance and done very little in terms of success, that’s out there and it’s well documented and you can only defend that record for so long."
Yorke noted that the Manchester United legend was being protected despite his failure in management:
"He needs to do better at management, simple. He's got friends in football that are protecting him and now he needs to give something back. I can defend him but he’s had the platform to succeed and so far he hasn’t delivered."
"You've got to show why you're worthy of being a manager and there will come a point in time when someone has to tell him the truth and the real truth about his managerial career."
Yorke finished:
"I give him the benefit of the doubt because I know Rooney himself, but he has to do better and that start hasn't helped him. If that continues, maybe management is not for him. I won't say that is the case just yet, but he's getting jobs because he’s Wayne Rooney. He needs to do better."
The former Manchester United striker will be hoping his time in management can improve dramatically while at Plymouth Argyle.
Former Stoke City manager Tony Pulis offers advice to Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney on managerial career
It is no surprise that the 38-year-old's career in management has hardly gone to plan. He had a much better stint in his career as a player, especially at Manchester United, where he scored 253 goals and made 139 assists in 559 games.
Former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has offered the Plymouth Argyle manager some advice, with the 66-year-old telling Betway (via GOAL):
"I think he needs an experienced person beside him. Someone who's local, who knows the game and everything else and can work between him and the owners just to make sure everything is settled, everything is understood and that will clear the pathway for him to get results and push on in his career."
Time will tell if the former Manchester United forward will enjoy his time with Plymouth Argyle. He will also be hoping to eventually lead them into the Premier League.
