Wayne Rooney gives hilarious first press conference as Plymouth boss, with England icon mocking ex-team-mate Gary Neville and revealing how he convinced Coleen to make Devon move

Wayne Rooney has joked about his former Man United team-mate Gary Neville during a hilarious first press conference as Plymouth Argyle manager.

In May, Rooney was appointed as Plymouth’s new manager on a three-year contract, just four months after being sacked by Birmingham City.

Since then he has taken on various roles, including reporting for the BBC on Euro 2024 and appearing in podcasts in which he delves deeper into his past.

As he prepares for the start of the season, the former Man United striker has settled in at Plymouth and recently answered some burning questions during a press conference.

One of these was about his desire to return to football management after leaving Birmingham, where he made a direct comment about Neville.

Rooney and Neville (right) are good friends and played together for United for seven seasons

When asked why he returned to the dugout, Rooney replied: ‘Because I don’t want to be the next Gary Neville’.

Neville has previously been candid about his tumultuous tenure as Valencia manager between 2015 and 2016, during which he was in charge for just four months and won just three of his 16 league games.

In May, sIn his podcast Stick to Football, Neville spoke honestly about how difficult it was for him to understand what was happening from the dugout.

“I remember we played Athletic Bilbao three times, in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and in a league game, and Ernesto Valverde was the coach. He played a different system to what I expected, and then he changed during the game, and I remember thinking I was nowhere near that level,” Neville said.

‘I felt very inferior to him because I struggled to watch and manage the game from the pitch, especially compared to how I watch the game from the portal area.

“You’re standing on the sidelines watching a game and all you see is legs. How you think tactically about the game or how managers assess things, I have no idea. I remember thinking I had no idea what was going on.”

Since stepping down from his role at the Spanish club, Neville has yet to take on another coaching role, while Rooney has once again bolstered himself as he prepares for life at Plymouth.

Rooney was referring to Neville’s struggles in management at Spanish club Valencia

In May, Rooney explained that the “exciting project” at Home Park Stadium was a key factor in his return as manager.

Speaking about his appointment at Plymouth, Rooney said: “Taking on this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career – and I would like to thank the Chairman and Board for the confidence they have placed in me.

‘This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping build a squad of players to play expanded football – and to entertain the Green Army.

‘I’ve seen first-hand the talent of the current squad here – and the incredible atmosphere at Home Park. The club is on an exciting long-term journey, with a progressive plan, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of it. I can’t wait for the Championship season to start in August.’