Plymouth Argyle: Shock on Sky Sports at ‘bizarre’ news after Wayne Rooney sack
Paul Merson has been left aghast by what Plymouth Argyle have done after sacking Wayne Rooney as manager, while speaking on Sky Sports.
The ex- was sacked by the Pilgrims on New Year’s Eve with the club bottom of the Championship table, having won just four of 23 league games under the former Man United and England striker.
Merson himself previously suggested that the 39-year-old would be glad to leave Home Park given the pressure he was under in the role.
Even so, the former Arsenal man is completely bemused by Plymouth selecting former Cercle Brugge manager Miron Muslic to take over from Rooney.
While speaking on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (12:46pm) initially about the lack of English managers in the Premier League, Merson said: “Rather see more but I don’t fuss over it. It would be nice to see more but they just don’t get given a chance. I mean, I don’t want to skip from the Premier League to the Championship but…”
After host Simon Thomas then asked if he was thinking of Plymouth, the ex-England international added: “How? How? How? How? Unless the owner’s his dad, he’s his son, I mean hows that work? Hows it work?”
Thomas then noted: “Miron Muslic you’re talking about, the new man that’s come in, not from Club Brugge, he was at Cercle Brugge.”
Merson then responded, to laughter from other pundits: “No, Cercle Brugge! I mean… and he got sacked from Cercle Brugge! He got the sack, so what chance have they [English managers] got?”
With Thomas then describing it as a “bizarre appointment”, Merson concluded: “They’re told when you’re finished playing you can go and do your [coaching] badges, they take forever.
“I was talking to Jack Wilshere the other day, he’s doing is Pro Licence now, it’s a lot, a lot of work, a lot of dedication. Then to go and do all that you want to be a manager, and then they go and give it to someone who’s been sacked at Cercle Brugge!”
Plymouth have taken a big gamble with choice of Wayne Rooney replacement
Football Insider Opinion
There is no denying that the club have taken a big risk with the choice of their appointment to take over from Rooney at Home Park.
Plymouth are still rooted to the bottom of the Championship table, three points from safety just past the midway point of the campaign.
It is therefore a big challenge for whoever is going to step into the role to take them clear of the relegation zone.
That may be even harder for someone such as Muslic given his lack of experience of football in England, which he does not have long to adapt to now as he aims to turn things round in a relegation fight.
But given the risk Plymouth were taking with Rooney, after how things previously went for him in management, it is perhaps not a surprise that they have taken another chance here.
Even so, the fact that clubs are looking further afield for these sorts of appointments, seemingly in the hope of finding a gem, does not exactly aid the chances of English managers in this country, although Rooney himself hasn’t done much to boost their case.
There may though, be some candidates who may be wary of taking on such roles, given what is required for some of those jobs.
In other news, Rangers are lining up a January bid for a Plymouth Argyle player.
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