Gary Neville backs Wayne Rooney for Everton manager’s job
Gary Neville believes Wayne Rooney would ‘jump at the chance’ of becoming the new Everton manager if he was offered the role.
The Toffees have been linked with a host of top names for their manager role after sacking Rafa Benitez last week, with Rooney among the top candidates [Telegraph].
Rooney admitted he was ‘flattered’ by the links but while no approach has been made yet, his former Manchester United teammate Neville believes that he would accept the job instantly if offered it.
“I think he wouldn’t ring me up for advice about that because he would jump at the chance,” he said on his Sky Sports podcast.
“I mean, Wayne Rooney, being asked to be Everton manager. Growing up as a fan. As a kid there. Going back there at the end of his career.
I don’t think it would take five minutes for him to go back. Whether or not that would be right for him or not. Or whether it would work or not. I don’t know.
“Going back to Wayne Rooney, he would have to go into the Premier League and do what Steven Gerrard is doing now. He would have the passion.
“He has the grounding at Derby. He is working in difficult circumstances, so he is getting the experience. But he would jump at the chance, of course.”
Once a blue…
You know that old saying, the one Rooney wore on his top that time, yeah – that.
Rooney is a bluenose through and through and would undoubtedly jump at the chance to become manager, but so would millions of other Everton fans – that doesn’t make them good enough though.
Rooney has minimal experience as a manager and is essentially taking a free hit with Derby as he tries to keep them up, with every win seeing his reputation boosted because of the low expectations there.
Coming to Everton he would need to hit the ground running and there would be little sympathy if he got it wrong. Everton need to stay in the Premier League, no matter what.
Rooney doesn’t need to take this risk so early on in his career and Everton certainly don’t either. There will be other opportunities for him to become the boss at Goodison Park, it doesn’t need to and shouldn’t happen now.
In other Everton news, Three time Euro league winner ‘front-runner’ for Everton job – report