Simon Jordan Destroys Wayne Rooney with Brutal Verdict on Man Utd Legend

Simon Jordan has delivered a damning verdict on former Manchester United and England frontman Wayne Rooney.

Rooney enjoyed a superb playing career that saw him win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League during his time at Old Trafford.

The ex-striker’s career also took him to MLS, where he played for DC United before returning to England with Derby in 2020.

During his time with the Rams, Rooney went on to become manager following the departure of Phillip Cocu and, while he managed to keep Derby afloat on the final day of the 2020/21 Championship season, the Midlands side were relegated the following campaign.

The Everton and United icon then went on to endure disappointing spells with DC United, Birmingham, where he lasted just 83 days, and Plymouth, and hasn’t had a managerial gig since leaving the Pilgrims at the end of 2024, as the latter sides failed to avoid relegation in the months following the 39-year-old’s exit.

Rooney believes luck hasn’t been on his side in his managerial roles and is waiting for the next chapter of his career on the sidelines.

Rooney 'a victim of his own success'

However, Jordan believes that Rooney deserves to be criticised and scoffed at the idea he warrants another chance in a dugout.

Commenting on Rooney’s managerial career to date, the former Palace supremo was quick to shut down the claim that he took the MLS side to within one point of the playoffs.

“I don't see how he missed the playoffs in DC United by a point, I'm looking at their achievements over the years,” Jordan said on talkSPORT.

“They've never got anywhere near the playoffs. In the season that he was there, they finished 12th [three points off playoffs], I don't know where that [claim] comes from.

“I mean, look, he is a victim of his own success, because with the Wayne Rooneys of the world comes a level of expectation and also a level of opportunity.

“You'll hear people complain and say, 'why are these guys that are coming out of football' - [Frank] Lampard and [Steven] Gerrard and Rooney - that have got no management credentials, taking good jobs, because they are who they are.

Simon Jordan tore into Wayne Rooney on talkSPORT. (Image: talkSPORT)

“So the flip side of that means they put themselves on offer from the get-go. There's nothing about Wayne Rooney's managerial career that tells me he can manage.

“With all due respect to the fact he was a wonderful footballer, as a manager, I wouldn't touch him with you or someone else pushing. The fact of the matter is, I look at it and work out what he's done as a manager and say, 'Well, what have you done?'

“The Derby situation, where's Liam Rosenior? Liam Rosenior has gone on from Derby, who was his [assistant] coach, and a lot of people would say was intellectual capital behind Derby avoiding getting relegated in the last game of the season, when they were in administration, has gone on to manage Hull relatively successfully and doing quite well in Strasbourg.

Jordan, pulling no punches, went on to add: “Wayne has been thrown into difficult opportunities; very rarely do you get thrown into Nottingham Forest, or a club that's not broken. You most of the time get put into situations that are for a challenge.

'Everywhere you've been, you failed'

“The Birmingham situation, or he says it himself, and he describes it as someone calling him a rude name when he came into a football stadium. Well, so what? That's what happens. The Plymouth situation was laughable. It was laughable what their chairman said.

“It was contemptible to come on a show and say that someone's credentials do not factor into the outcomes of making them a manager. It's not relevant because every situation is unique. Great. Every situation is unique. “Everywhere that you've been in, you failed. There's a common denominator in that.

“Here you are, four months, five months later, removing the guy from the job because they played great in certain games and they did play against certain teams.

“Where did Plymouth end up? They end up relegated. Where did Birmingham end up? They end up relegated.”

Rooney reportedly received a chance to return to management over the summer with non-league side Macclesfield but turned down the approach.