Wayne Rooney retires from playing, named manager at Derby

Wayne Rooney making his move to the world of managing permanently.

Wayne Rooney has been one of the most iconic players of the last few decades, as he served as the face of one of the world’s most popular clubs and most consistently excellent national teams for almost 20 years. Sadly, because all good things must come to an end, Rooney has officially brought an end to his playing career in favor of making the transition to managing.

Rooney, who had been serving as the interim manager for second-tier side Derby County, has been named the manager, ending his nearly two-decade-long career as a player.

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Wayne Rooney remains one of England’s greatest players of all time

After starting his career at Everton, Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004, kicking off a 13-year stint that saw him win 16 trophies, including five Premier League titles and a Champions League win in 2008.

Altogether, Rooney scored 253 goals in 559 games with United, making him the club’s top scorer after overtaking Bobby Charlton. Rooney followed his stint at United by returning to Everton and authoring a somewhat successful stint in MLS with DC United.

His 120 caps for England netted him 53 goals, making him the highest scorer in England national team history.

Derby, whom Rooney joined as a player-coach before making the move to the touchline full-time, is in need of Rooney’s tactical genius right now, as they are in the relegation zone with just 19 points taken from 22 matches. Their 14 goals are the fewest in the Championship.

Rooney has yet to prove that he can effectively make the jump from player to manager, a jump that even some of the best of all time have been unable to make. However, if his career is anything to go by, he’ll figure out what to do in no time at all. Derby launched Frank Lampard to the Premier League, and Rooney might have similar luck.