3 Wayne Rooney replacements Plymouth Argyle need to consider ASAP | OneFootball

FLW take a look at three potential managers Plymouth Argyle could look at to replace Wayne Rooney

It seemed like a decision Plymouth Argyle would never come to make, but they've finally pulled the trigger on Wayne Rooney and brought to an end his disastrous spell in charge.

The Premier League Hall of Famer leaves the Pilgrims bottom of the Championship table and four points adrift of safety, with Argyle showing few signs they have the stomach to get out of the drop zone.

Like many other Championship clubs before them this season, Plymouth are now in the market for a new manager, and with fierce competition on that front, their task to appoint a new chief looks a tough one.

Here, we look at three possible candidates Plymouth could turn to:

Neil Warnock

The proverbial master of avoiding relegation, Neil Warnock could be one of few hopes Plymouth Argyle have remaining, but whether they could tempt him out of retirement is another issue.

Putting to the side the issue of the fact he would have to come out of managerial retirement (again) to steer Plymouth to safety, he appears to be exactly the type of candidate Argyle need.

Conceding goals has been their Achilles heel this season, so someone with a playing and managerial style such as Warnock seems to be necessary to get their defensive issues in order.

Known to have roots in that part of the world too, currently in an advisory role at Torquay United, it would seem an appointment that would work for all parties, at least if his wife, Sharon, allows it.

It would be a romantic homecoming for Warnock, who managed Argyle back in the late 90's and oversaw their third division play-off final success.

Mark Warburton

Something of a left-field shout, but Mark Warburton could be someone who Argyle look to if they're in the market for someone with some Championship experience and nous.

Warburton has been out of work in a managerial capacity since he left QPR in 2022, but after a pause in his career, could be ready to throw himself into a new challenge of steering Plymouth to safety.

The former Brentford chief has a respectable record in the Championship, boasting a points per game average of 1.43 in the second tier across his career.

If he could replicate that kind of record with Plymouth, it would probably be enough to keep them afloat.

Steven Schumacher

Like Warnock, appointing Schumacher would be a homecoming, as he left Argyle in December 2023 to take up a new position with Stoke City.

A little over a year on, and he could be making his way back to the South West in very different circumstances, as he'd be trying desperately to keep Argyle in the second tier.

Currently unemployed, like the other two candidates, there would be no compensation package needed to appoint Schumacher, which would undoubtedly be an attractive prospect to Argyle.

Schumacher's record in the Championship is a respectable one, averaging 1.27 points per game - a return which would certainly give Argyle a fighting chance to beat the drop.