The parameters of success must be adjusted beyond the basics of trophies or survival. Wayne Rooney has overachieved at Derby County.
If a manager falls just short of achieving a miracle, does that make the job done any less impressive? It is a question we should all be pondering as Wayne Rooney’s so-near-yet-so-far attempt to keep Derby County in the Championship narrowly misses out on being a fairytale for the footballing ages.
Even by the standards set earlier in the season by a club decimated by off-the-pitch issues and the all too real threat of being wound up and ceasing to exist, yet still winning games far more regularly than was their right, Derby would struggle to stay up. Overturning a nine-point gap to safety in five games is not just difficult; it is as close to impossible as you can get without crossing that dotted line.
It is a shame that a season which has seen an inexperienced yet skilful, passionate and adept playing and coaching team come so close to achieving greatness which would be remembered for decades to come will instead go down as failure – at least when printed in black and white.
Rooney, assistant coach Liam Rosenior and their backroom staff have put in a monumental effort to keep Derby at pace with their fellow strugglers throughout the season, despite having 21 points deducted and their short, medium and long-term future thrown into doubt on an almost weekly basis.
Manager of the year in the EFL
surely will be Wayne Rooney no matter what happens. The lads shown class just cracking on no matter what obstacles are put in his way at Derby County .Total class act ..Seen a different Rooney really matured as a person imo
— David Percival (@davidpercival42) April 9, 2022
Coping with such pressures is one thing for any manager and team. Thriving in them under a boss with no previous experience and a team largely consisting of rushed youth academy graduates and aged veterans is incomparable to much of what else we see in modern…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…