It’s fair to say that Wayne Rooney has never been the biggest fan of Liverpool Football Club.
Having come through the ranks at Everton, Rooney then spent the next 13 years becoming Manchester United’s all-time top scorer.
Passionate and aggressive player that he was, the former England international has this week admitted that he was never at his best against Liverpool. He simply wanted to win too much.
There’s no doubt that as Rooney embarks on his managerial career, he’d love to get the chance to stand in the away dugout at Anfield.
If that ever happens though, Jurgen Klopp won’t be the man he’s facing. And with the German’s exit from Liverpool still reverberating around his home city, Rooney has now revealed his own reaction to the news that Klopp was quitting.
Wayne Rooney reveals reaction to Jurgen Klopp bombshell
For Liverpool fans especially, Klopp’s announcement that he would leave the club at the end of the season is a ‘where were you when’ moment.
Supporters will remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the Liverpool legend’s now infamous words: “I’m running out of energy.”
Opposition fans will of course have reacted differently. Although the shock would no doubt have been there, they’d likely have been happy to see one of the best manager’s in Liverpool history depart.
As someone who couldn’t be further away from being a Reds fan, you might have expected sheer joy from Rooney.
But speaking on The Overlap, the Scouser said that he could empathise with Klopp’s decision.
“I can switch off. Initially when I get home I will watch Saturday Night Takeover, just completely stay away from football and then next day you are back on,” he says.
“I don’t think people realise how tiring it is for a manager, you see when Klopp said he was leaving Liverpool because he needs a rest, I was thinking I’ve done this for two years! It is tiring.”
Where is Wayne Rooney managing now?
It is quite funny to hear Rooney compare himself to Klopp. Even though they technically do the same job, they’re worlds apart.
As the Man United legend says, he’s only been a manager for a couple of years. Having only started his coaching career in 2020, Rooney is already on his fourth job.
Compare that to Klopp, who has – barring a spell of a few months in 2015 – been continuously managing since 2001. It’s not the same.
Nevertheless, the job is the job. And having had a disastrous spell with Birmingham this season, Rooney is now back in the dugout.
As of this summer, the 38-year-old has taken over at Championship side Plymouth Argyle. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on.
Plymouth at Anfield in the FA Cup third round, please.