Former Manchester United player Wayne Rooney is set to be announced as DC United’s new manager on Tuesday, but his wife Coleen, who wants to remain in the UK, is worried about living “oceans apart” from her husband.
The former player-turned-manager of Derby County has agreed to an £800,000-per-year contract to lead the Washington, DC-based team. The transfer now needs to be approved by Major League Soccer, which shouldn’t be a problem.
His debut could be against Columbus Crew at home on Thursday morning. After leaving Everton in the summer of 2018, Rooney played for DC United for two seasons, making 52 appearances and netting 25 goals.
However, his decision to return to the United States is surprising, especially given that his wife Coleen had difficulties adapting there earlier.
Although Coleen is believed to have given his managerial change her complete support, it is unknown if she would relocate the family once more.
DC is currently in the 13th spot in MLS Eastern Conference, playing under interim head coach Chad Ashton.
The players were informed of their new management during a team meeting 24 hours after Philadelphia Union thrashed them 7-0.
Rooney, 36, departed League One team Derby at the end of June after failing to keep the struggling team in the Championship. He received a lot of praise for the manner he managed a club that was having serious financial issues then.
Rooney arranged negotiations with Burnley after Sean Dyche was fired and had previously been requested to interview for the manager’s position at Everton.
Rooney, though, resisted leaving Derby because American Chris Kirchner was slated to purchase the team at the time. He finally had to leave Pride Park after that attempt failed and businessman David Clowes took ownership of the club.
Coleen Rooney, Rooney’s wife, might be hesitant to join her husband in the United States this summer. In 2018, Coleen sent private messages to Rebekah Vardy, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy’s wife, which were revealed earlier this year amid their courtroom battle, in which Coleen claimed that it is difficult to live in Washington.
Coleen said: “Washington isn’t the best…. Nice to visit but different to live. Not loads for the kids to do, mostly park, hardly any soft plays and things like that. It’s quite behind the UK, which I never would have thought. But we will get used to it (I hope).”
Meanwhile, Rooney flew to the United States of America on Sunday even though Coleen had talked about the tensions in their marriage and how she was so homesick living in the States that she often cried herself to sleep.
The former Manchester United player is keen to take the coaching job at DC United to further his managerial career, even though friends and family of the couple fear it would put yet more strain on their troubled marriage.
#WayneRooney has landed in America after reportedly agreeing $1m per year contract to return to #DCUnited as Head Coach. The move back to DC may not go down well with wife Coleen after revealing in recent trial she “cried every night” in USA due to “homesickness” #MLS #Trending pic.twitter.com/PDI7RyG7LE
— Three Points and a Pie Podcast (@3PointsandAPie) July 11, 2022
It would be interesting to see how the former Derby County head coach, Wayne Rooney would succeed in Major League Soccer as a head coach amid his marital troubles with Coleen back home.
