Wayne Rooney Stands Firm Amid Calls For His Sacking At Plymouth

Plymouth Argyle head coach, Wayne Rooney, has said he does not take criticism from fans personally after his side suffered a 2-0 defeat against Oxford United on Sunday.

Argyle sits in last place in the Championship table, having lost six and drawn three of their past nine games.

Pressure is mounting on the former England forward as Argyle faces a disappointing run of results, with some fans chanting for Rooney’s dismissal during their match at Oxford.

“When you’re losing games as we’re losing them, that frustration is there, so I get it, and I don’t take it personally,” Rooney told BBC.

“I think the criticism is normal with the results we’re going through.

“You have to feel that you can turn it around. I’m going to go back, watch the game back, evaluate the game, and prepare for Bristol [City].

“I understand [the fans’ reaction]; I’ve been there myself when I was young, and I’ve been there as a fan when you want to see your team win.”

The former Manchester United player was appointed head coach in May, replacing Ian Foster who was sacked due to a poor run of results.

This marked his first managerial position since being dismissed by Birmingham City following a tumultuous 15-game tenure with the Championship club co-owned by Tom Brady.

When asked if he felt safe in his role as Plymouth boss, Rooney said, “That’s a question for the board. I understand how football works so all I can do is keep trying to work as hard as I can.

“For all of us, we’re trying to do the right things and help us win games. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case over the last few weeks.”