Wayne Rooney Names Manchester United and Everton as Only Management Returns

Wayne Rooney has indicated that only Manchester United or Everton could persuade him to return to management, while conceding that another job in the dugout may never materialise.

A narrow route back to the touchline

The former England captain has been out of work since Plymouth Argyle dismissed him late in 2024 and is now established as a television pundit. Asked whether he could take another coaching role, Rooney said his options would be limited to the two clubs most closely associated with his playing career.

• Rooney said he would only consider a return “in any capacity” at Everton or Manchester United.
• He described such an opportunity as unlikely.
• When asked which vacancy he would choose, Rooney joked that he would take whichever arrived first.

Rooney played for both clubs, beginning his senior career at Everton before becoming Manchester United’s record scorer. He later returned to Everton, and also played for DC United and Derby County before retiring in 2021.

Management record brought difficult assignments

The 40-year-old’s coaching career has taken in four demanding posts. His first job came at Derby County, where he received credit for leading the side through a period of severe financial problems. He then moved to Major League Soccer with DC United before shorter and more troubled spells at Birmingham City and Plymouth.

While Rooney’s achievements as a player were exceptional, he has not yet been able to reproduce that success as a manager. At Manchester United he made 559 appearances and scored 253 goals, still a club record, while winning five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup among his major honours.

Broadcasting now takes priority

Rooney said the uncertainty attached to a manager’s job has shaped his thinking. Unlike a playing career, in which an individual can anticipate retirement and prepare for it, a coach cannot know whether a position will last years or only a few months.

He accepted that he could potentially never manage again, explaining that he is enjoying his work on Match of the Day and wants to continue learning in broadcasting. Rooney has also become a regular presence on The Overlap.

His current work is not, he said, simply about earnings. Rooney explained that he wants a purpose beyond remaining at home all day, and for now that purpose is being found in television and family life rather than another immediate attempt to rebuild a managerial career.