Wayne Rooney has been pictured overseeing training at DC United ahead of taking over at the MLS outfit.
The former Manchester United and Everton star is set to officially take up the role at the team he previously played for. Rooney looks to have struck a deal that will see him earn £800,000 per annum whilst in the United States. He is expected to be in the dugout for their game this Thursday against Colombus Crew.
Rooney recently left his post at Derby County, whom he was unable to save from relegation last term. His time in charge of the Championship outfit was far from simple with the club dealing with constant financial problems. He said upon leaving: "My time at the club has been a rollercoaster of emotions, both highs and lows, but I have to say that I have enjoyed the challenge."
Rooney is now ready for his second job and Phil Neville, who coaches in the MLS, insists this will be kinder to him. He told The Sun : “I think in his managerial career so far, Wayne was thrown in at the deep end in Derby. They had no money, they had takeover problems, they had points deductions and he nearly performed a miracle. So in a way this job might be slightly easier because he’ll be working under better conditions. There is no relegation like there is in England.”
Rooney scored 25 times in 52 outings for DC United, whom he played for before returning to England to be a player-coach at Derby County. England's record goalscorer has travelled across the Atlantic without wife Coleen and their four children however.
Coleen made it known how unhappy she was during their stint in America and clear she had no intention of following him. However she remains supportive of the move but is staying put in Cheshire.
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A source said: “Wayne has discussed the job with Coleen, but she has categorically said she’s not going. That said, she doesn’t want to stand in his way. They have an understanding that they are a team but emotionally she isn’t invested. There has been a lot of back and forth but they now agree to disagree. The children are settled in school and do not want to go back to America, so they plan to stay in Cheshire with their mum."
DC United lost their last outing 7-0 at the hands of Philidelphia. They sit 13th in the Eastern Conference and are level on points with basement side Chicago Fire. The Washington-based side have only won two of their last ten games.
