Could Wayne Rooney be the next manager for Swansea City? That’s the suggestion being put forward by some fans and commentators, who believe that the former England captain would be an ideal appointment for the club at this level given his Championship experience with Derby and his clear contacts in the game that could – and should – benefit the Swans.
Many critics will point to the fact that he took Derby down from this level, however, one needs to look beyond that simple headline fact and realise that he was massively hampered by a total of twenty-one points deduction and still gave themselves a fighting chance to the very end of the season.
Rooney has played and managed at DC United and is currently in their pre-season. It has been previously reported that he would be keen on a return to the English ladder should the opportunity arise. Furthermore, the links with Swansea are there to be seen, not so much with the club itself but with those that control the majority interest since he was unveiled back in July 2018, as a DC United player with Jason Levien and general manager Dave Kasper.
However, this is not a tip or any inside information just an opinion that Rooney and Swansea would be a good fit and certainly a Man more than capable of pushing on from where the team currently stands and, possibly more importantly, a Man who understands the working practices of the majority ownership.
Of course, there are other factors to consider. Everton will most probably be looking for a new manager come the end of the season, and Rooney’s name will certainly feature very high on that list should the vacancy arise. And, of course, they will not be the only Premier League club considering change this summer, and again his name would be heavily linked.
Rooney’s record back in charge of DC United is the one downside that fans may have – they finished 28th of 28 clubs in the Eastern Conference last season. However, Rooney’s record in the Championship was impressive. When Rooney took over Derby in the season before they were bottom of the table, he achieved 31 points from a possible 54 in sole charge to steer them clear of relegation, no mean feat at any level let alone the one that the Swans are currently playing at.
As for the Swans, they still have links to the likes of Kevin Muscat and Nathan Jones, and the first odds released show Steven Schumacher as the early favourite at 3/1 followed by Steve Cotterill (whose name always appears in manager betting) at 4/1. Jones and Muscat both sit at 12/1 in the better, with Rooney coming at a lower figure of 14/1.
When it comes down to it, the Swans could do far worse than considering Rooney as a potential manager. His experience, contacts, and understanding of the owners’ working practices could make him an ideal fit for the team. Rooney’s next job in the UK may be in the Premier League, but stranger things have happened. Until then, all the fans can do is wait and see what happens next.
