Wayne Rooney breaks silence on facing sack with Plymouth’s form the WORST in entire Football League
WAYNE ROONEY has vowed that he remains the man to lead Plymouth Argyle out of their current predicament.
The Pilgrims boss, 39, watched his side get thumped 4-0 by Coventry on Boxing Day.
Argyle are winless in eight, having not triumphed since a narrow 1-0 victory over Portsmouth on November 5.
And their travelling supporters have seen them collect just two points on the road all season.
Following yesterday’s Coventry drubbing, Rooney was asked if he remains the man to lead Argyle.
He said: “I believe I am. I know how football works, I’m not stupid, you need to pick up results.
“The biggest frustration for me all season really is we look like two different teams at home and away.
“So psychologically is there an issue? It’s something we’re looking at.”
Yesterday’s shellacking was not the first time that Argyle have drubbed on the road this season.
They had already lost 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City respectively, 5-0 at Cardiff, 6-1 at Norwich and 3-0 at Leeds.
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The Manchester United legend went on to add: “I’m sure the fans have questions, I’m sure a lot of people from the outside will, and I’ll do my best to answer them as best I can.”
Rooney recently appointed Sir Alex Ferguson‘s former No2 Mike Phelan to replace outgoing assistant Pete Shuttleworth.
Argyle are bottom of the Championship table, having collected just 18 points from 22 games.
They will return to action on Sunday, when they head to Oxford in a relegation six-pointer.
Earlier this month, Argyle chairman Simon Hallett publicly backed Rooney.
‘THE GREAT COACH THAT WE THINK IS IN THERE’
Speaking at a fans’ forum in Cornwall, he said: “What we are going to do is not think about getting rid of him and changing him.
“We are thinking about how we can support him.
“So there are no conversations going on about replacing Wayne but there are conversations going on about how we can support him to help him become the great coach that we think is in there.”
Hallett also updated supporters on his hunt for fresh investment into the club.
He said: “We have been disappointed in how long it has taken to find a new investor.
“I have been thinking this for about eight months, but I think we are on the verge of being able to come public with something.
“We have actually got the EFL already beginning the initial approval process. The progress has been slow and every time I think we are close, you get a little bit closer but you don’t quite get there.”
Rooney has had to deal with injuries to key players.
Morgan Whittaker has missed Argyle’s last six matches, while Ibrahim Cissoko has not featured since October.
Captain Joe Edwards is a long-term absentee, while forwards Michael Obafemi, Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu have all pulled up injured in recent matches.