On this day in 2022: Wayne Rooney steps down as Derby boss

Wayne Rooney resigned as the head of Derby after leading the team for a year and a half today in 2022.

The ex-Manchester United and England forward became a part of the Rams as a player-coach in January 2020. He took over temporarily as head coach when Phillip Cocu was let go in November 2020.

Rooney revealed in January 2021 that he would no longer be playing to focus on his new role as Derby's head coach, successfully leading the team through a difficult start to his managerial career.

Derby faced financial difficulties at the beginning of the 2021-2022 season and ended up being demoted from the Sky Bet Championship. Despite their valiant effort to avoid relegation, even with a 21-point deduction, they were unable to stay in the league.

Derby dropped down to League One and Rooney requested to be released from the team.

After Derby was demoted, Rooney told the team that he planned to depart as they started getting ready for League One.

Rooney stated that he has been keeping a close eye on the ownership situation at Derby County throughout the summer.

Today I spoke with the club leaders to let them know that I have chosen to leave. They did their best to persuade me to stay, but I had already made up my mind.

My experience at the club has been filled with many ups and downs, but I have to admit that I have embraced the challenge.

In my opinion, the club would benefit from a new leader who brings in a fresh perspective and is not weighed down by the events of the past year and a half.

I will always look back on my time in Derby with fond memories and gratitude. I want to extend my thanks to all the staff, players, and fans for their unwavering support.

I will always remember you and look forward to reuniting with you in the future under better circumstances.

After leaving Derby, Rooney returned to the United States and took over as the manager of DC United for a season before moving on to Birmingham. However, he was fired from his position at Birmingham in less than three months.

In May 2024, Rooney was revealed as the latest manager of Plymouth, a team in the Sky Bet Championship.