Wayne Rooney has been hired as the new head coach of D.C. United, the MLS club announced via their official website on July 12th, 2022.
After spending two years as the manager of Derby County in the English Championship, Rooney, who previously played and captained the Major League Soccer (MLS) team for two years from 2018 to 2019, will return to D.C. United as a coach.
Until Wayne Rooney receives his work visa, interim head coach Chad Ashton will continue to lead the team.
As a Designated Player, Rooney joined D.C. United in June 2018. The former Manchester United forward played in 48 games for the Black-and-Red, scoring 23 goals and setting up 15 more. He was selected for the MLS Best XI in 2018, made the league’s All-Star in 2019, and a finalist for the MLS MVP.
“Wayne is a soccer legend and one of the most exciting and dynamic up-and-coming managers in our sport. He’s already proven in his young coaching career that he knows how to lead a group through adversity,” said Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan Co-Chairmen of D.C. United.
“He has an understanding of our league and what it takes to be successful in Major League Soccer thanks to his two-year stay with us as a player. The passion he showed while wearing Black-and-Red electrified our city and our club and we are so excited to welcome him back as our Head Coach.”
Following a successful run as Interim Player-Manager in which he led the team from the bottom of the English Championship table to safety, surviving relegation by three points, the 36-year-old was hired as Derby County’s full-time Manager in January 2021.
The Football Association docked Derby County 21 points for confessing to violations of Profitability and Sustainability during his first full season in command of the team.
Despite this setback, Rooney led the team to a record of 14-13-19 and a total of 55 points, which, but for the point reduction, would have been enough to guarantee survival in the Championship for another season. On June 24, 2022, Rooney decided to step down as Derby County’s manager.
Rooney made his senior debut for Everton FC on August 17, 2002, and helped the Toffees to a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, launching his professional playing career in the English Premier League.
Rooney joined Manchester United in a then-record transfer transaction ($35 million) when he was 18 years old and played 13 seasons there, scoring 208 Premier League goals in 491 games, which ranked him second all-time highest goalscorer only behind Alan Shearer (260).
Rooney won 16 significant awards while he was a member of the Manchester United team, including five Premier League championships, the UEFA Champions League in 2008, and the FA Cup in 2006.
Rooney is the all-time leading scorer for The Three Lions and the field player with the most international appearances for England (120).
He participated in three World Cups (2006, 2010, and 2014), three UEFA European Championships (2004, 2012, and 2016), and 24 times in all international events as the captain of his nation.
Managerial career
Rooney was hired as part of a four-person interim coaching team alongside Liam Rosenior, Shay Given, and Justin Walker after Derby manager Phillip Cocu was fired as a result of the club’s worst start to a season in 12 years.
Derby lost 1-0 against Bristol City in Rooney’s first game in command, dropping them to the bottom of the table and three points from safety.
After a “painful and chastening” 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough, it was revealed that Wayne Rooney would take sole charge of the team for the following game and had removed himself from the playing squad.
Rooney was hired as Derby’s permanent manager on January 15 after improving the Rams’ performance enough to get them out of the relegation zone when he first took over as sole manager of The Rams, who were in 24th place, six points out of safety, and on a run of four straight losses.
Wayne Rooney defied his wife’s wishes
Despite Wayne Rooney accepting a new managerial position at DC United, Coleen Rooney is apparently “not going” to the United States.
The former England and Manchester United player arrived at Dulles Airport in Washington on Monday to talk about managing his former MLS team. Rooney, 36, is believed to be willing to accept the £1 million per year position in order to strengthen his portfolio with valuable managerial experience.
Wife Coleen, 36, is not persuaded by the decision, apparently fearing that it would put more strain on their marriage.
The WAG herself also has no plans to go to the US again after previously admitting that she frequently sobbed herself to sleep while Wayne was there from 2018 to 2020.
Wayne Rooney net worth
Based on his career earnings to date, Rooney’s net worth is projected to be between £100 million ($136 million) and £120 million ($163 million).
| Net worth: | £100m – £120m |
| Source of wealth | Football contracts, endorsement deals, business investments |
| Date of birth: | October 24, 1985 |
| Country of birth: | England |
