Plymouth Argyle Head Coach Wayne Rooney leaves role after just seven months in charge
ITV News' Ross Arnott reports on Rooney's departure
Plymouth Argyle Head Coach Wayne Rooney has left after seven months in charge.
The former England star was appointed in May 2024, having previously been in charge of fellow Championship team Birmingham City.
The Pilgrims have won only four Championship games this season but have conceded 51 goals in 23 league games - the worst defence in the top four divisions of England.
The team's 2-0 loss against Oxford United on Sunday 29 December means they are bottom of the Championship League table and currently four points from safety.
On Tuesday 31 December Argyle confirmed Rooney will leave the club, as well as assistant head coach Mike Phelan and first team coach Simon Ireland.
First team coach Kevin Nancekivell and club captain Joe Edwards will lead the team for the Sky Bet Championship match against Bristol City on New Year’s Day. Daryl Flahavan will continue as goalkeeping coach.
A spokesperson for Argyle said: "We would like to thank Wayne and his team for all their efforts and wish them well for the future.
"The club will be making no further comment at this stage with updates on our new first team management staff in due course.:
The departing Rooney said: “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.
“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.”
This comes days after the host of podcast 'Argyle Life' Aaron Hocking aired his frustration with the team's recent performances.
He said: "We've tried everything - I just don't think Rooney knows exactly how to get the best out of this squad. I appreciate that the team has had lots more injuries than most and is a very inexperienced squad - but I just don't think he knows what he's doing."
Fan reaction to Rooney's departure
ITV West Country spoke to fans outside the Plymouth Argyle FC Superstore on their reaction to Rooney's departure and their hopes for the team's future.
Sam Down, the lead editor of Argyle Life podcast and website, said: "Having been at every away game this season, but particularly the last few - it's becoming increasingly clear things can't go on this way.
"It's not just losing every time, it's getting absolutely battered. We lost 4-0 at Coventry and we were lucky to lose only 2-0 against Oxford."
"We had been getting absolutely thumped in four away games out of five and we had stopped winning as well. The players were playing like they had lost all confidence in Wayne Rooney."
"I said right at the start, I was going to give Rooney a chance. I appreciated that someone of his name, his wealth and experience had come down to Plymouth, giving it a go with Argyle. But I said, looking at his track record, there is a realistic chance it's not going to work and sadly that is how it has gone."
One fan said that Rooney's exit had been coming for a while and that "everybody in the ground knew it was going to come by Christmas and the Oxford game" and by then, "the writing was on the wall for him".
Another Argyle supporter said he would have liked to see Rooney be given another chance but "results are business".
He said: "Looking at all our away defeats - we haven't won a game away and that is really disappointing. We played Oxford - one of our rivals at the bottom and they beat us consecutively."
Other footballing fans poked fun at Plymouth's 2025 calendar - which has Rooney's photo for the month of January.
Who could be coaching Argyle next?
Sam Down told ITV West Country that he supports the return of Steven Schumacher to the top role. Schumacher had previously led the team to a League One title in the 2022/23 season before leaving to take over fellow Championship side Stoke City.
"If the board are listening and they want my view on who the fans want, get on the phone to Steven Schumacher ASAP. I'm all for forgiveness and second chances and he's absolutely earned his," he said.