Wayne Rooney has been instructed to consider dropping down the leagues in the EFL in order to get his managerial career back on track after unsuccessful stints at Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle.
Rooney was brought in to succeed John Eustace in October of 2023, but the move by Blues - who were in the upper echelons of the league table when they made the call to change managers - backfired dramatically.
As boss, Rooney - formerly of Derby County and D.C. United - won just two of his 15 matches in charge and, following a defeat at Leeds United on New Year's Day, he was sacked and replaced by Tony Mowbray.
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While the circumstances around Mowbray's departure were unfortunate and couldn't be helped, and despite the efforts of interim boss Gary Rowett, Blues slipped into League One last spring - and you'd have to factor in Rooney's ill-fated stint as damaging to their campaign.
Former player Carlton Palmer has now advised that Rooney - who was sacked by struggling Plymouth Argyle earlier this season and who has since dabbled in punditry while in between jobs - should think about dropping down to the base of the EFL pyramid in order to rebuild his reputation and prove his worth in the dugout.
“It’s a difficult one now for Wayne Rooney,” Palmer told Football League World. “Disappointing spells at Birmingham City and Plymouth. I think Birmingham, yes it was disappointing but also he was on to a hiding to nothing because of the situation with John Eustace. I think Plymouth, for me, I think they still got rid of him too early.
“I know they brought him in, it was always going to be difficult for Wayne, I think they needed to give him until the end of the season and that was in my opinion, but it was a bad situation, I’m sure Wayne still harbours thoughts of being a successful manager.
“It doesn’t always go that you’re a great player and you go on and be a great manager, without a shadow of a doubt Wayne was one hell of a player. He’s very thoughtful, he’s very hard-working, it’s something that he wants to do, it’s something he wants to be successful and hopefully he will get another opportunity.
“Probably going to have to drop down to League Two, something like that, go and prove himself there before he gets a good job, but fingers crossed that he does get that opportunity, and does get on and has a successful career, just because we’ve had it as footballers.
“Just because we don’t succeed at the first attempt, doesn’t mean we won’t go on and be successful as managers. That’s just the way it is, you can still succeed and if Wayne, who still has the desire and still has that in his locker that he wants to do that then of course, he can succeed.”
