Wayne Rooney appears to have turned a corner in his new role as boss at Plymouth Argyle after a difficult start, but it’s clear his celebrations have not become any calmer since moving from the pitch to the dugout.
The former Manchester United and England striker had been handed a straight red for his protestations against Blackburn Rovers minutes before Plymouth Argyle forward Morgan Whittaker bagged a last-gasp winner at Home Park.
The stands erupted and, according to Rooney, his outpouring of emotion was no less boisterous in the tunnel, leaving him with apologies to make to one club official.
Wayne Rooney breaks official’s glasses amid Morgan Whittaker-inspired chaos
Rooney had headed to the Home Park tunnel following his sideline dismissal but still had eyes on the pitch as Whittaker headed home the winner in the seventh minute of added time.
The 38-year-old gaffer felt there had been a foul on Ryan Hardie in the build-up to Rovers’ 86th-minute equaliser and failed to hold back his frustration — picking up the first red of his managerial career.
“I reacted in a manner which I probably shouldn’t have, and the red card was deserved,” the Pilgrims boss told talkSPORT. “But from our point of view, my point of view, beyond that the fans were fantastic.”
Feeling a sense of injustice, everyone associated with the club was praying for a route back to the much-needed three points, and Whittaker duly obliged.
“Me and the club secretary in the tunnel were celebrating,” Rooney told the radio station, smirking. “I knocked his glasses off, broke his glasses, in the tunnel celebrating.”
It may prove to be an expensive afternoon for the former striker once glasses replacements and any potential associated dismissal fines are paid, but you bet your life he’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
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After a tough spell at Birmingham City last season, followed by an opening day 4-0 humbling for his new club at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday and no win in his first four league games, things were looking ominous for Rooney.
However, now with three wins on the board, including against league leaders Sunderland and former Premier League side Luton Town, in FourFourTwo’s opinion, it feels like the Pilgrims boss may finally be finding his feet.
He’d probably prefer to do it with less drama and damaged property next time out, but the reaction from Plymouth fans and players to his dismissal showed FourFourTwo that he has more credit to work with at Home Park than he ever managed to muster at St Andrew’s.
