Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed 26 fruitful years in charge of the Red Devils, but some of his former charges haven’t fared quite as well in management as the Scotsman did at Old Trafford.
Among them is Wayne Rooney, whose managerial career hasn’t lived up to expectations just yet. Rooney worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, who ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the greatest managers ever, at Manchester United, and it would be expected he may have picked up a few tips and tricks along the way.
He started his managerial career at Derby and a after taking 31 points from a possible 54 in sole charge of the club, he followed it up with a streak of one win in 14 games, and then resigned at the end of the 2021/22 season following the clubs 21-point deduction and subsequent relegation.
Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson offers Wayne Rooney advice
Unsuccessful stints at D.C. United, Birmingham and more recently Plymouth Argyle have left much to be desired and it’s unclear what steps he will take next.
He has some experience in punditry, most recently working with Amazon on Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to PSG, but it seems he does want to make a name for himself as a coach.
Sir Alex Ferguson hasn’t been in football management for over 10 years, but he still keeps tabs on his former players, with Rooney receiving a text at very specific times from his former boss.
Rooney, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet said: “Every time I get sacked from a managerial job; I get a text from Sir Alex Ferguson.”
The contents of these texts is unknown, but there aren’t many better managers to learn from and, if Rooney can find a new job, then any advice Ferguson can offer will certainly help.
Rooney’s time at D.C. United saw the club fail to reach the play-offs for two seasons in a row but just days later he was appointed manager of Birmingham.
He joined with the club sixth in the Championship, and his backroom staff included Ashley Cole and John O’Shea, but his time in the midlands was a disaster. One point from his first five game saw the club fall to 18th in the Championship and he was sacked just three months in the job, after two wins in fifteen.
Plymouth gambled on Rooney at the start of this season, but it turned out to be the wrong decision. He managed just 19 points from 24 games, conceding 52 goals and scoring just 23, and was sacked on New Years Eve 2024 with the club bottom and four points from safety.
