Wayne Rooney backed for Everton manager job as timeframe verdict issued
Wayne Rooney would “love” to take on the Everton manager’s job but “we’re a long way from that right now”, according to Paul Brown.
The former Daily Star journalist told GIVEMESPORT (20 September) that amid the twice former Toffees player’s “interesting history” with the club it was “entirely possible” that he would end up taking charge, but not at this stage.
Rooney was thought to be in the running when Frank Lampard was appointed two seasons ago, and was linked again when he was sacked last term, with Sean Dyche instead getting the job but now facing pressure of his own.
Brown said: “It’s hard to say. That looks quite a long way off, but who knows? I’m sure Rooney would love to take on a job like that at some point.
“He’s had an interesting history with the club, veering from being the hero to villain in the eyes of many there. Last time, when he left, I don’t think he left under particularly happy circumstances.
“He’s trying to make a name for himself now as a manager, and it’s entirely possible one day that he might end up being at Everton. But I think we’re a long way from that right now.”
Not now
Rooney will be linked to the Everton job for as long as he is a manager but if he didn’t take it on in either January of the past two seasons there seems minimal chance he would be close to taking it right now.
Dyche is facing calls to be replaced by the likes of Graham Potter but, as with the former Chelsea and Brighton boss, any manager who still has the majority of their career ahead of them is going to have major doubts until there is some more stability at Goodison Park.
Perhaps that will come with 777 Partners as owners or perhaps it will be further down the line, but the club under Farhad Moshiri has only become more chaotic with each passing season and success on the pitch has proven a real struggle for at least the past three managers.
There have to be substantial doubts over whether a managerial change is even possible with a takeover in the offing, since Moshiri won’t want to fork out for another expensive process and 777 won’t actually be in charge to deal with it yet.
And if the deal falls through or ends up being blocked by the authorities then the current plans for the future will be wasted anyway.
Lampard’s profile when he took over was somewhat similar to Rooney’s, but without the previous ties to the club, and it ultimately didn’t work out.
And given the former Everton boss’ time in charge of Chelsea has now twice shown it takes more than a familiarity with the place to be successful, it seems likely that Rooney is going to need more experience himself before he is ready to take on the Toffees job.
In other Everton news, Kieran Maguire has mooted a half-billion pound “elephant in the room” after Moshiri’s “big u-turn” on the takeover.