Plymouth owner Simon Hallett has recently shared his thoughts on the influence of Wayne Rooney, the Manchester United legend, during his tenure at the Championship club. Despite a less than stellar record of four wins in seven months, Hallett praises Rooney for his wider impact on the club.
Hallett spoke highly of Rooney in an interview with The Athletic. He highlighted that beyond just on-field results, Rooney made a significant impression by fostering unity and collaboration within the team. This was achieved through innovative measures such as "literally knocking down walls" to create open working spaces at the training ground.
Short-lived stint with lasting impact
Rooney's stint at Plymouth may have been brief but it left an indelible mark. In August, he took over from Ian Foster who had struggled after replacing Steven Schumacher. His first game saw a 4-0 loss against Sheffield Wednesday and by New Year's Eve when he left - officially by mutual consent - Plymouth had only won four league games under him and were sitting bottom of the Championship table.
Despite these disappointing results, Hallett remembers those seven months more fondly than one might expect based solely on performance metrics.
Simon Hallett reflects on Rooney’s tenure
Hallett admitted that while results were not up to par, there was more to appreciate about what Rooney brought to Plymouth.
Simon Hallett, Plymouth owner, said:
"Wayne literally knocked down walls, he had walls between various people in the football department removed (at the club’s offices), so they sat together. He was wonderful around the club. He was very good with fans, to the point where we had to restrain him. I remember we were having a meeting with somebody and one of their staff said, 'My sister runs a local primary school, can you visit?'. And Wayne said, 'Sure'. But we had to say, 'Wait a minute, he is very busy!' I know it sounds silly because he's such a big celebrity and he's famous for some bad decisions, but he's a very decent human being. The impact he had saved the club from fraying."
This sentiment underscores how important off-field contributions can be in shaping a team’s culture and morale. Interestingly enough though, it wasn't poor performance that led to their split but rather differences in football philosophy. According to Hallett, Rooney insisted on a very specific style of play which ultimately led to their parting ways.
