Wayne Rooney may have surprised some fans with his choice to manage in Major League Soccer after an impressive stint in charge of Derby County in the most trying of circumstances.
But the former Manchester United and Everton star believes the skills he is learning at DC United will give him a better chance of managing at Old Trafford or Goodison Park one day.
The 37-year-old, who won 120 England caps and five Premier League titles, began his managerial career with Derby in 2020, Rooney steered the club through an incredibly turbulent period off the pitch as the Rams descended into administration.
After losing their place in the Championship despite a valiant effort from a youthful squad due to a points deduction for the club's financial mismanagement, Rooney resigned with Derby still in administration heading into the 2022 League One season.
Managerial opportunities in England and Europe were mooted for Rooney after leaving Pride Park, but he took the chance to return to DC United, the MLS club he spent two seasons with as a player from 2018-19.
At the midway point of the season, the Washington DC club remain in contention for the MLS Cup playoffs, a marked improvement on last year's finish at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Rooney has earned the role of the manager of the MLS All-Stars, who will face Arsenal in a pre-season friendly in July, and the scouser believes his experience managing players from across the world will help him in the long run.
"Occasions like the All-Star Game remind me why I chose to continue my journey as a coach here in MLS," he told MLSsoccer.com
"My aspiration is to manage at an elite European club someday, and in those environments, you’re working with very diverse teams, with elite professionals from all over the world. I’ve found I could actually get that experience here, which helps me a lot.
"At DC United, for example, we’ve got players from more than a dozen nations, representing different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. So there's different challenges and lessons to be gained from that, and working with the All-Stars, the very best MLS has to offer, adds to that immensely.
"Like me, I know my United players Christian Benteke and Tyler Miller are excited to represent our club."
Rooney's latest comments show despite taking a diversion to the United States to manage in the MLS, his aspirations remain unchanged; he wants to coach at the highest level, with taking charge of his former clubs his ultimate goal.
"Manchester United and Everton are the two clubs that are very close to me," he said in 2022. "Hopefully one day in the future I can manage one of those two clubs. It'd be a great achievement for me.”
