Former striker\u2019s impressive handling of affairs at Derby makes him bookies\u2019 favourite to take over Toffees as coach
\n LONDON
\nDerby manager Wayne Rooney is in contention for an emotional return to Everton after the former England star\u2019s impressive handling of affairs on the pitch despite a financial crisis at the Championship club.
\nRooney is among the bookmakers\u2019 favourites to take permanent charge at Goodison Park after Rafael Benitez was sacked on Sunday.
\nThe 36-year-old made his name at Everton as a precocious teenager before rejoining his boyhood club following a glittering spell at Manchester United.
\nAnd, in his short time as a manager, Rooney has offered evidence that the potential return of the prodigal son would be more than just an olive branch to Everton supporters infuriated by the dismal reign of the despised Benitez.
\nWhile Derby has a rich history, former England forward could not have asked for a more daunting first managerial assignment when he took over 12 months ago after initially joining as player-coach.
\nRooney managed to save the Rams from relegation on the final day of last season.
\nBut Derby were plunged into the abyss in September when they went into administration, with owner Mel Morris apologising to fans.
\nWith Derby so far unable to find a buyer for a club saddled with around \u00a350 ($68 million) of debts, Rooney has been left to pick up the pieces.
\nWith worries about whether players and staff would be paid their wages, it would have been easy for Rooney to walk away from a seemingly impossible situation.
\nThere has even been the threat of Derby potentially being expelled from the Football League if the crisis is not resolved.
\nBut Rooney \u2013 a man whose ferociously competitive playing style was honed on the tough streets of his Croxteth home \u2013 is no quitter.
\n\u201cI\u2019m a fighter. I grew up on a council estate in Liverpool. I don\u2019t walk away from challenges easily,\u201d Rooney said recently.
\nSleeping on the sofa in his office at Derby\u2019s training ground after long nights spent plotting the team\u2019s survival, Rooney\u2019s dedication to his youthful squad is clear.
\nDerby are second from bottom of the Championship after being deducted 21 points due to their financial issues and are also under a transfer embargo.
\nYet, despite a situation that would have shattered many teams, Rooney has miraculously kept them in with a chance of avoiding relegation.
\nDerby have lost only seven of 26 games and would be 11th in the second-tier Championship if the points penalties did not apply.
\nOf all the members of England\u2019s \u201cGolden generation\u201d to go into management, Rooney was the one whose decision raised the most eyebrows.
\nRooney won five Premier League titles and the Champions League during a trophy-laden playing career in which he become United and England\u2019s all-time leading scorer.
\nBut his natural talent often had to speak for him. He was not seen as the most natural communicator, which made it hard to envisage him as a leader of men.
\nEven Rio Ferdinand, who played with Rooney for United and England, admits he has been surprised by his rapid development as a manager.
\n\u201cI saw a different Wayne Rooney to the one I grew up with and saw grow up at Man United,\u201d Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel after a visit to the Derby training ground.
\n\u201cIt was a real positive experience. It was the confidence and I didn\u2019t expect it from such a young coach.
\n\u201cIt is such a different person behind closed doors. He spoke with such authority and a calmness, didn\u2019t waste a word.
\n\u201cA lot of things he was saying was about trust, \u2018I trust you, I believe in all of you\u2019, and you can see why they have that fight for him and that togetherness.\u201d
\nRooney is winning the fight to be regarded as a serious manager.
\nWhether his rise includes a return to Everton \u2013 who announced they had appointed Duncan Ferguson as caretaker manager on Tuesday \u2013 remains to be seen.
\nBut Ferdinand has no doubts his old mate has a bright future.
\n\u201c\u2019I thought there\u2019d be a lot of \u201cermmmm\u201d — you see the interviews, no disrespect. But he was just calm.
\n\u201cI was so impressed. The results he is getting off the back of it, I\u2019m not surprised,\u201d he said<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former striker\u2019s impressive handling of affairs at Derby makes him bookies\u2019 favourite to take over Toffees as coach LONDON Derby manager Wayne Rooney is in contention for an emotional return to Everton after the former England star\u2019s impressive handling of affairs on the pitch despite a financial crisis at the Championship club. Rooney is among […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-239664","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n