Wayne Rooney, the Manchester United and England legend, was in a mischievous mood during his first press conference as Plymouth Argyle manager. Fresh from his Euro 2024 punditry for the BBC, Rooney aimed at former teammate Gary Neville, mocking his brief managerial stint at Valencia, where Neville managed just three wins in 16 La Liga games.

Rooney, contrasting his four years of managerial experience with Neville’s brief tenure, joked, “Because I don’t want to be the next Gary Neville!” Neville, who has openly admitted his struggles in management, recently shared how Athletic Bilbao’s Ernesto Valverde made him feel “massively inferior” with tactical changes.

Rooney also made a cheeky confession about persuading his wife, Coleen, to move to Devon for his new role. “I told her it was the Monaco of England!” he revealed. Rooney emphasized feeling settled in the beautiful countryside and coastal areas of Devon and Cornwall, stating, “Every person I’ve met has been really welcoming. This is my home now, this is where I’m working and living.”

“I don’t want to become the next Gary Neville!” 😅

Wayne Rooney aims a cheeky joke at ex team-mate 😂 pic.twitter.com/sfUnReT0gr

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 4, 2024

Plymouth Argyle performance and stats

Plymouth Argyle is currently 21st in the Championship with 51 points.

In the last 46 games, it has won 13 times, drawn 12 times, and lost 21 times. In its last match, Plymouth Argyle won 1-0 against Hull City.​​

It has a negative goal difference after scoring 59 goals and conceding 70.​