A former Derby County youngster has now described Wayne Rooney as the best manager he’s ever had.
Wayne Rooney joined Derby County as a player in January 2020 before becoming their interim boss, and then permanent manager a year later.
The former Manchester United striker received huge plaudits for keeping the Rams in the Championship during his debut Championship campaign in 2020/21.
Rooney attempted to stage a great escape in the following season as Derby were handed a crippling points deduction due to their financial woes at the time.
The club had to contend with a 21-point due to the mismanagement of former owner Mel Morris, 12 of which were from entering administration and a further nine for breaching EFL accounting rules.
Although Derby was ultimately relegated to the third tier in 2022, Rooney received praise for unearthing several talented youngsters.
Luke Plange at Derby County
Derby captured highly-rated striker Luke Plange from Arsenal’s academy in March 2021 as the Gunners decided not to offer him a professional contract.
Plange quickly rose to prominence for Derby’s under-21 by scoring five goals in his first 10 Premier League 2 appearances.
Rooney spotted the talented forward in the Rams reserves in December 2021 and he was promoted to the first-team in a desperate plea to keep the club in the Championship.
Plange repaid his manager’s faith by scoring three goals in his first eight appearances for the first team and after scoring in a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City, Crystal Palace swooped to sign the teenager for £1 million plus add-ons and immediately loaned him back to Pride Park.
Since leaving Derbyshire permanently in 2022, the 21-year-old has struggled to break into the first team at Crystal Palace. He’s on loan at HJK Helsinki following spells at Lincoln City and Carlisle.
Luke Plange praises Wayne Rooney at Derby County
Although Plange has gone on to sign for Premier League side Crystal Palace, the young striker hasn’t forgotten the impact Rooney had on his career, lauding him as the best manager he’s ever had.
“The trust that Rooney showed me was the best thing that could have happened to me,” Plange told MTV Uutiset. “Even though the team was in a difficult place, he and his teammates put their faith in me. It meant a lot.
“Until now, Rooney has been the best and most important coach in my career. It was purely because of the way he came to talk to me and helped build my confidence. He was once one of the best in the world at the same venue, so it was perfect.”
Having allowed the youngster to play in the Championship, Plange will never forget the part Rooney played in his development.
However, after struggling since leaving Pride Park, perhaps he was better off staying at Derby to further his development, instead of stepping up to the top flight prematurely.
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