Wayne Rooney hits back at Plymouth sack calls and pinpoints issue for Championship strugglers
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Wayne Rooney insists he is the right man for Plymouth despite their latest hammering leaving them at the bottom of the Championship. The Manchester United legend is still out to prove himself in the dugout and was appointed at Home Park back in the summer. The Pilgrims are only in their second season back in the Championship and are facing the threat of relegation.
Coventry City secured a 4-0 victory on Boxing Day to leave them two points from safety. They're without a win since November 5 - a run that has spanned eight games and Rooney is under mounting pressure, but has maintained he's the man to guide Plymouth out of their current predicament.
The 39-year-old said: “Yeah, I believe I am [the right man to be Plymouth head coach]. I know how football works, I’m not stupid. You need to pick up results. The biggest frustration for me all season is we look like two different teams home and away.
"So psychologically, is there an issue? It’s something we’re looking at. I’m sure the fans have questions and a lot of people from the outside will. I’ll do my best to answer them.”. A severe injury crisis did little to aid the team's poor away from with the lack of available forwards leading Rooney to pick an XI that included the 16-year-old Tegan Finn.
Sections of the travelling Plymouth faithful booed the team at full-time, although the majority stayed to applaud as Rooney went on to the away section, who had a 420-mile round trip on Boxing Day. Rooney is just seven months into a three-year contract and he has just appointed a new assistant in Mike Phelan, who was previously Sir Alex Ferguson's No 2 and managed the ex-Everton man when he was at his peak at Old Trafford.
