Wayne Rooney breaks silence amid next Everton manager links as his Derby County stance is revealed

Wayne Rooney is said to remain ‘100% committed’ to Derby County amid links with the Everton managerial job.

And the Toffees striker, speaking to the Rams’ website about his year in charge of the club, is desperate the Pride Park outfit are given the ‘support and backing’ from any potential new owner.

Background

Rooney is one of the leading candidates to take over the Goodison Park hot seat after the sacking of Rafa Benitez last weekend.

Everton are reported to want to interview Rooney despite his inexperience in management.

Ex-Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro and former Blues manager Roberto Martinez have also been linked after Duncan Ferguson was appointed caretaker boss.

Rooney, who is a boyhood Evertonian, is currently in charge of crisis-club Derby where he is carrying out a magnificent job.

The Rams are in administration and been hit by a 21-point deduction by the EFL.

But despite a depleted squad and turmoil off the pitch, Derby would be 11th and seven points outside the Championship play-offs without their deduction.

Will Wayne Rooney be next Everton manager?

Derby’s administrators Quantuma recently insisted they’d not been contacted by Everton seeking permission to approach Rooney.

And in a meeting with the Supporters Charter Group, Quantuma insisted Rooney is committed to Derby.

On Twitter, supporter group Black and White Together (@dcfcbawt) posted minutes of the meeting reiterating that point.

One of the posts said: “The club has not received an approach from Everton for Wayne Rooney, his agent confirmed and so did WR. He is 100% committed to DCFC.”

‘Let me have an owner!’

Rooney recently celebrated a year as permanent Derby manager last week.

It’s been a turbulent 12 months for England’s all-time record goalscorer.

He miraculously steered the Rams clear of relegation from the Championship last season and has had to deal with the perils of administration this term.

Now Rooney is hoping the Pride Park club are rescued by a new owner.

He told Rams TV: “It’s been crazy, if I’m being honest. A year of things been thrown at you, at the coaches and the players.

“It’s been difficult. I knew it would be a tough job coming in, in the position we were in when I first started.

“We sat bottom of the table and I felt it was an achievement to stay up.

“Then, again, going into adminstration, losing players you don’t want to lose. At times, the play has been late for players and staff.

“To deal with everything we’ve had to then try to keep smiles and players’ and staff members’ faces has been very challenging.

“We’ve done really well doing that but need to do more. First of all, we need to try to get the club sorted out and get someone in - let me have an owner!

“That’s the next step for us and we have to do that as quickly as possible and make sure the next year is nowhere near the previous one was.”

Hopes for the future

Rooney insists he has to remain positive ahead of Derby’s huge clash at East Midlands foes Nottingham Forest tomorrow.

“I’ve been here now for just over three years at the club,” he added.

“You build up relationships, first of all with players as a team-mate and then with players as a manager, with staff.

“I know the players, I know the staff - they look to me for guidance when times are tough, which they have been for the majority of this season.

“I know those players and staff. They look to me to bring that calmness and toughness, if you like, as well because it’s hard to carry all the issues we’ve had.

“I try to carry all the issues we’ve had and I try to carry those issues for the players so they have the freedom when they go out on the pitch and don’t have to overthink things.

“And for the staff as well, who have been through an awful lot over the last few years, I can see how much, with the club being in the position it’s in, it hurts them.

“I’ve seen staff members emotional and what it means to them.

“And for the fans, who have been excellent with me - at first, there were a few, which is understandable, who were doubtful - I’ve seen the support the fans have given not just myself but my other members of staff, the coaches and the players.

“The fans are realising something special could happen here. The only way that can happen is if we get the support and backing of these potential new owners who come in.

“First of all, it’s so important that this club stays alive and secondly, we make progress to move this club forward, make it a great club again and a club that’s competing.

“All that takes time, of course, but we have to try to remain positive.

“If the right people who come in with the right ideas and respect which I have for the football club, we can do that.”