Wayne Rooney issues Everton job admission after appointment as Plymouth Argyle boss

Wayne Rooney admits he does hope to manage one day become the Everton manager but sees the Manchester United job as the “pinnacle”.

The ex-Toffees captain told former England and Old Trafford teammate Gary Neville on The Overlap (28 May) that he does have designs on the position currently held by Sean Dyche at Goodison Park, having only just been appointed by Plymouth Argyle at the weekend.

Rooney rejected the chance to take the Everton job when Rafa Benitez was sacked out of loyalty to his then-Derby squad, and was again linked to replace Frank Lampard before Dyche was brought in two winters ago.

Rooney said of his ultimate managerial ambitions (4m 40s): “It’s a tough one because I’ve always said I’d love to manage Everton or Man United.

“I’d probably say United, that would be the pinnacle to go and manage Man United. Everton’s more of an emotional one as the club I support, love. But United is the pinnacle really.”

Manchester United job over Everton role for ex-Birmingham boss

Unless Rooney can do a strong job at Home Park then he may have missed his chance to take over at Everton or Manchester United.

The Toffees may have been at risk of relegation from the Premier League multiple times in recent seasons, and the financial situation at the club makes long-term predictions over the future difficult, but his recent record has only taken him further away from the job on Merseyside.

To Rooney’s credit he has shown a willingness to try to prove himself outside the elite, having so far taken charge at Derby, DC United, Birmingham and now Argyle, and didn’t immediately jump at the chance to manage Everton, in contrast to the man he could have got the job either side of in Frank Lampard who took the Chelsea job after just a year at Derby.

But it is the nightmare spell at St. Andrew’s last season that possibly makes his new job make or break in terms of his managerial career.

Dyche was under pressure even late on last term as his side went through a miserable run of form during 2024 and having been hit by two points deductions.

But his position is surely safe for the foreseeable future as he steered the club clear of danger with games to spare and ultimately would have finished comfortably in mid-table without the eight points lost, despite all the troubles off the pitch.

Rooney was tipped to be at the top of the list to replace the current Everton boss if he had been removed but without a revival of fortunes for the 38-year-old with the Pilgrims it is unlikely that would be a popular idea among the fanbase now.