Wayne Rooney reveals Everton management ambition after rejecting approach

After spending two seasons as a player at Goodison Park, Wayne Rooney says he would like to return to Everton as manager.

Wayne Rooney, working as a pundit, arrives ahead of the FA Cup fifth round match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester United at The City Ground on February 28, 2024 (Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney, a former player, maintains that he still hopes to manage Everton again.

The star from Croxteth, who spent two stints at Goodison Park from 2002–04 and 2017–18, is currently unemployed as a result of Birmingham City firing him in January. In his 83 days in charge, he won just two of his 15 games. When Frank Lampard, the forward’s former England teammate, finally succeeded Rafael Benitez as Everton manager in January 2022, Rooney—who was in charge of Derby County at the time—was once connected to the managerial position.

Despite his brief tenure as manager at St Andrew’s after a lackluster stint in Major League Soccer in the USA with DC United, the 38-year-old hopes to still climb the managerial ladder in order to be considered for the top positions at his other former clubs and eventually succeed Sean Dyche. “Managing Manchester United or Everton is the aim, these big jobs are where you want to get to,” Rooney stated to Match of the Day.

But there’s a procedure. I need to follow the instructions and put myself back on track.

“My goal is to return to management so that, hopefully, within the next ten years, I’ll be able to take on a major role.”

“I’m determined to return to management. What happened in Birmingham was a setback, but I’m a fighter, and I want to get back into it.

“You understand that having setbacks and getting fired is a part of the job for a manager. It matters how you recover.

“I’ve had some time to think about it, and I’ll make sure I do it correctly the next time.”

Rooney has previously stated that following Benitez’s dismissal in January 2022, the Blues contacted his agent in search of a new manager.