Football League World
·10 August 2024
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·10 August 2024
Simon Jordan has given his view on the Plymouth Argyle's decision to appoint Wayne Rooney as their new head coach.
Former Crystal Palace owner and pundit Simon Jordan believes Wayne Rooney does not deserve the opportunity to manage Plymouth Argyle, taking aim at the Pilgrims boss and owner Simon Hallett.
The Pilgrims avoided relegation from the Championship on the final day of last season under caretaker manager Neil Dewsnip, and Rooney was named as their new head coach in May.
Rooney had been out of management since being sacked by Birmingham City in January after less than three months in charge, with the Blues plummeting from the play-off places towards the relegation zone during his tenure.
With that in mind, some were surprised that Rooney was given the chance to return to management at Home Park, but Argyle owner Hallett said the club looked beyond the 38-year-old's results, insisting that the underlying data from his spells in charge of Derby County and DC United was positive.
"So we believe anyway that you can't just look at results, you have to look at the impact the manager has on the team. You have to look at the data, the underlying performances before the manager arrives and afterwards," Hallett told talkSPORT in May.
"That means looking at things other than just wins and losses."
Clearly, Jordan doesn't agree. He has said that Rooney is fortunate to have been given the Plymouth job considering his poor record in his previous roles, and he believes there is no evidence to suggest he will be a success in management.
"Ultimately the only reason there are doubters is because Wayne's record exhibits virtually zero capability of suggesting that he's going to be a top-class manager," Jordan said on talkSPORT.
"When I listened to the Plymouth owner saying that people's previous results don't matter and shouldn't be factored into the question, that's just ideology nonsense.
"If you've managed 154 games in varying different clubs, and you've got a win record of 25 percent, it's telling you something.
"Yes, there's nuance and context in terms of the fact that Derby County were in administration and had challenges, and DC United was a challenge for him. "But not withstanding that, I've been over to the MLS, and I'm surprised they weren't doing better. "So I look at it from the point of view that Wayne has an opportunity that I don't think he merits, and the only reason he's got the opportunity is because he's Wayne Rooney because it cannot be based upon his management record. "The guy has given him a low bar, let's have it right, because he wants him to finish fifth from bottom of the league, that's what he's said. "So if he finishes fifth from bottom of the league, that's a success, and I don't know if that tells you whether Wayne is successful or not, but there you go. "If Wayne is focused, disciplined and professional, then he'll get an opportunity to continue his management career. "But right now, having managed 154 games, how many managers would really be given further opportunities with a win record of 25 percent? "He had a 13 percent win record at Birmingham, which was entirely on him because while the team weren't a great watch, John Eustace had the side at the top end of the Championship.
"He changed the way they played, the players weren't capable of it, and so subsequently he put them in a situation where ultimately, there was too little time for Gary Rowett to come in and save them."
It is difficult to disagree with Jordan on this one, and it could be a tough season ahead for Plymouth.
While Rooney did a decent job in challenging circumstances at Derby, his record at DC United, and in particular Birmingham, does not make for good reading, and it is something of a surprise that he has been given another opportunity in the Championship.
Jordan is right that Rooney's name and reputation as a high-profile former player is likely a factor in why he has been appointed by the Pilgrims, and Hallett's claim that his previous results should not be taken into consideration is questionable.
Argyle have undoubtedly taken a big risk with Rooney, and with the squad looking short on the quality needed to survive in the second tier, it is understandable why many are tipping them to be relegated this season.