Wayne Rooney: 'I don't know where my future lies', admits Derby County boss

Wayne Rooney managed to keep Derby in the Championship on the final day of last season

Wayne Rooney has admitted he does not know where his future lies, with Derby County's administrators still unable to name a preferred bidder for the club.

The Rams have been in administration for six months and are also facing the prospect of relegation to League One.

Administrators Quantuma say delays in confirming a preferred bidder to take over are "beyond their control".

"I am almost working blind," said the former England striker, who has been in charge as manager since November 2020.

After an initial spell as interim boss, he was confirmed in the role in January 2021 on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

And although he has repeatedly stressed he will see out the current campaign, the 36-year-old said: "I don't know where the club's going, I don't know if the club's going to be here next season.

"I don't know what the future is for this football club or for myself because I don't know what the plans are.

"I can only work on a game-to-game basis. Now we've got seven games left and I'll give everything, the players will, the staff will, but I don't know where the future lies for the club, so I don't know where my future lies on the back of that."

The deadline for interested parties to submit formal bids for the club passed on 27 March.

Quantuma hoped to confirm a preferred bidder this week, but in a statement on Thursday, they highlighted "attempts by some parties to delay and undermine the process".

On the pitch, Derby are bottom of the table - having had 21 points deducted earlier in the season for going into administration and for breaches of financial regulations - and eight points from safety.

"A lot of deadlines have come and gone. My job when deadlines are missed is to pick all the staff up because they get low, they get upset and angry and frustrated, exactly the same as the fans," said Rooney.

"It's frustrating. I still can't plan. I don't know what players I'm going to have next season and it's tough to do anything because I genuinely don't know who to turn to ask the questions."

Rooney spoke to the administrators on Thursday and added: "Ideally, I'd like to sit down with the preferred bidders and explain it to them and stress to them that these are the issues that we need to sort out quickly, but I haven't had the opportunity to do that.

"We need to move quick because the situation is very worrying. I know it's difficult, I know the administrators are trying their hardest to get a deal done, but we're at a stage where it has to happen now."

Derby are at home to Preston North End on Saturday.