Wayne Rooney sack: Leeds fans will love latest news emerging out of Plymouth
Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle did Leeds United a bit of a favour at the weekend as they managed to take points away from Middlesbrough in the Championship promotion race.
It’s clear now that after 22 games played by the majority of teams, there’s a top-four emerging at the top end of the table.
Sheffield United are on fire and currently sit top on 48 points with Leeds three behind them in second. Burnley follow in third on 44 points and then come Sunderland with 43.
Middlesbrough, who dropped two points in their 3-3 draw with bottom-of-the-table Plymouth, are down in sixth with 35 points and look as though despite their impressive form, they are destined to be in a battle for the play-offs and not a top-two finish like Daniel Farke’s Leeds.
Leeds fans subjected Rooney to ‘vicious abuse’
Rooney’s future as Plymouth’s manager has been a hot topic in the Championship this season.
Even though his side are bottom on 18 points with just four wins in 21 games, the Manchester United legend is managing to keep his job.
He is managing to keep it for now, at least.
According to The Sun columnist Justin Allen, Rooney is swimming against the tide in the second tier with some clubs “ready to axe their managers”.
Allen then lists a handful of Championship bosses who could be sacked soon and, as you may have guessed, Rooney’s name is there.
“Manchester United and England legend Roo is another manage who is swimming against the Championship tide,” said Allen (The Sun, page 11 of pull-out, 23 December).
“Plymouth, like Oxford, have barely two pennies to rub together and are one of the hot favourites to be relegated.
“Anything above third bottom will be seen as a success.
“Yet Rooney is constantly touted to be sacked and despite their 3-3 draw at home to high-flying Middlesbrough, Argyle sit bottom of the pile this morning.
“Although Plymouth are struggling, their performances have been decent. The team are most definitely playing for the boss and he has been promised some funds to strengthen in January.”
It clearly isn’t all doom and gloom at Home Park but it goes without saying that Rooney is one of the front-runners to be the next sacked manager in the Championship.
Leeds fans, despite Rooney’s result against Boro, will no doubt be thrilled to see the ex-Manchester United forward struggling so badly to do well in his managerial career.
There’s no denying that Man United are Leeds’ biggest rivals.
In November, the Liverpool-born boss was goaded as Leeds won 3-0 against Plymouth at Elland Road.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Rooney was “subjected to vicious abuse” due to his legendary status at Man United.
It’s not the first time that’s happened with similar scenes emerging at Elland Road last season when he was steering Birmingham City into the abyss.
It might have been the final time though because Leeds’ sails are pointing in the direction of the Premier League whereas Rooney’s hopes of managing in the Championship ever again are on the rocks.
In other Leeds United news, this £30,000-a-week player looks finished at Elland Road – much to the relief of Paraag Marathe.
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