Former Derby County manager Wayne Rooney pulls out of BBC's Match Of The Day after 'painful' update
Derby County appointed Wayne Rooney after Philip Cocu's sacking in November 2020 - since then he's endured a turbulent manager career
by Joseph Chapman · Derbyshire LiveFormer Derby County manager Wayne Rooney was pencilled in to appear on BBC's Match Of The Day for the first time on Saturday night - but a recent injury suffered while on holiday with his family put paid to his debt on the iconic football highlights show.
Rooney has been out of work since being sacked by Birmingham City after a disastrous short spell, and he has dabbled in some punditry work with TNT Sports since returning to England, following his stint as a manager with DC United. An appearance on MOTD is, as he describes, something he's wished to feature on and offer analysis to since he was young.
For now, though, Rooney will have to wait for his debut after injuring his back while away with his family recently. It's expected that the BBC will invite Rooney to appear on the show in the first instance when he's available and fit to return to work.
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"Gutted not to be making my debut on the iconic @BBCMOTD show tonight, it’s something I have wanted to do since I was little," Rooney posted. "Unfortunately I have sustained a painful back injury during a holiday with my family but I look forward to being part of the team in the near future. Good luck to @GaryLineker and the guys for tonight's show and see you soon."
Rooney was appointed by Blues in October, having recently left DC United in the MLS, but his first experience of management in England came at Pride Park. He fronted the team with Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker when Philip Cocu was sacked in November 2020 before eventually taking the job full time.
Rooney did initially guide the Rams out of the danger they found themselves in, but mid-season form dipped and they escaped relegation on the final day of the season after the dramatic draw with Sheffield Wednesday. The club's off-field woes came to the fore the summer following, and despite Rooney's efforts, the club were up against it in the battle for survival before a ball was even kicked. He resigned in the summer of 2022.