Wayne Rooney breaks silence after Plymouth Argyle exit confirmed | OneFootball

The former Birmingham City and Derby County left the Pilgrims by mutual consent on Tuesday.

Wayne Rooney has issued a message to Plymouth Argyle supporters after he mutually agreed to leave the club on Tuesday morning.

The 39-year-old has been under mounting pressure in the last couple of months after a string of poor results and performances, particularly away from home, that have left the Pilgrims bottom of the Championship at the end of 2024.

Rooney took over at Home Park in the summer, and suffered a 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday during his first game at the club, a match that was seemingly a sign of things to come.

He has found it difficult to remain competitive in games on the road, and following a 2-0 loss away to Oxford United on Sunday, his position became untenable. Plymouth have lost all but two of their away games this season, picking up draws against Derby County and Queens Park Rangers.

Rooney breaks silence after Plymouth exit

After his difficulties at Birmingham City, many supporters were alarmed when Rooney first arrived in Devon, and it has been an incredibly tough few months for the Green Army.

Wins against Blackburn Rovers, Luton Town and Sunderland did give some hope, but a string of heavy defeats has led to the inevitable for the former Derby manager.

It is the second time in the space of a year that he has left a Championship side, after being sacked by Blues at the very start of 2024, and he has spoken out for the first time since departing Plymouth.

Following his exit, he said on the club's website: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, in particular Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip who I shared great relationships with.

"Thanks also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their efforts and support during my time as Head Coach and I wish them all the best for the future.

"To the Green Army thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever."

Rooney continued: "I would also like to give a special mention to my coaching staff Kevin Nancekivell, Simon Ireland, Darryl Flahavan and Mike Phelan for their knowledge, dedication, help and support.

"Plymouth Argyle will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to look out for and take interest in their results."

Plymouth's next appointment is vital to the club's future

It's been an incredibly tough campaign so far for the Pilgrims, and there has been a feeling of dread heading into nearly every matchday for the club.

Therefore, the news about Rooney's departure will be greeted well by many supporters. However, getting the next appointment right is crucial to not only this season, but also the next few for Plymouth.

There will be a yearning desire to see the club make a push for Steven Schumacher in the coming days, with the out-of-work manager helping Argyle to promotion from League One in the 2022/23 campaign.

He left Home Park 12 months ago to take on the job at Stoke City, where he was sacked just five games into this season.

His reputation was scuppered slightly by his exit, but with Plymouth desperate for a way out of the debacle that they currently find themselves in, he could be the perfect man to take on what is an incredibly tough job.