Wayne Rooney Targeting Man Utd Job – Ferdinand

LUKE GARDENER

Wayne Rooney wants to become Manchester United manager one day, according to his former team mate, Rio Ferdinand.

Rooney will take his first steps into coaching in January when he joins Derby from DC United. The 33-year-old will be a player-coach after signing an 18-month deal at the Championship club. And Rooney will hope to follow in the footsteps of Frank Lampard who is now Chelsea manager after a successful spell at the Rams.

Ferdinand told the Daily Star: “His endgame is managing Manchester United, 100 per cent. It’s a fact. If he tells you any different, he’s lying! He will want to do that.

“Only time will tell if he’s going to be the man to be able to do that. There’s obviously a lot of work to be done before that.

“But Frank’s gone to the place he will have desired more than anywhere else at Chelsea. Can that happen for Wayne? We’ll see.

“I’m not surprised Wayne has done this because I know that’s the way he wants to go, from speaking to him. It will be a great opportunity.”

Ferdinand believes Rooney’s poker-face will stand him in good stead as he moves into the coaching side of the game.

He explained: “He was good at poker, wasn’t he? Having that element of unpredictability. When he speaks and you think: ‘I didn’t realise he sees it like that.’ Having that element is good.

“You don’t want to be predictable, for your players to read you so much. It keeps people on their toes. For instance, Sir Alex Ferguson would change players.

“Is it Nani this week or is it Giggsy? Is Cristiano playing through the middle or on the left? You need that in your teams. I feel Wayne will have that element to him.

“He’s not scared of sharing his opinion, which is a good thing. He can be direct. He can be hard to read sometimes. He’s still connected to the younger generation. He talks their language.

“He’s been very lucky. Not many people get to play under the managers he has, managers who have achieved so much. Ferguson, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Capello

“Some big names who have achieved huge thinks at huge clubs. Over the years he will have taken elements from their coaching styles. He’s going into it with his eyes wide open.”

Rooney is excited to get started at Derby when he moves from DC United at the beginning of next year.

He told the Rams’ official website: “I am very excited about the opportunity that Derby County have provided me with.

“I am looking forward to joining Phillip Cocu, his coaching staff and the first-team squad from the start of January.