Derby County: Wayne Rooney remains in contact with his Rams replacement Liam Rosenior

During Wayne Rooney's entire spell in charge of Derby County, Liam Rosenior worked as his assistant manager

Wayne Rooney has continued to influence Liam Rosenior's development as a manager after he was replaced by his former assistant at Derby County.

Rooney asked to leave Derby on 24 June, just hours after David Clowes announced he intended to buy the embattled club.

While the ex-England captain has gone on to be named head coach of DC United, interim Rams manager Rosenior says Rooney has remained a close confidant.

"Myself and Wayne speak nearly every day," Rosenior said.

"I'm really close to him, he has been really helping in my development as a coach in terms of management."

Rosenior, 38, who first joined the coaching team at Pride Park under Dutch manager Phillip Cocu in 2019, said he has "enjoyed" being thrust into the top job with the rebuilding Rams.

When he was named as Rooney's interim replacement, Derby were still in administration and had just seven players on the books for the approaching 2022-23 season in League One.

Since then, he has quickly helped bolster the squad with 11 new signings - including the hugely experienced Conor Hourihane, James Chester, David McGoldrick and Korey Smith - while defenders Curtis Davies and Richard Stearman are among players that have recommitted to the club.

Standards set 'as high as possible'

Rosenior has overseen two pre-season friendly wins despite the limited time with his new players. The 1-0 victory over German Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin on Saturday was the side's first game back at Pride Park since the club came out of administration.

After the first win against Bradford City, the Rams' new owners said they would give Rosenior "every support and encouragement to make the job his".

"For me, I'm absolutely enjoying it," he told BBC Radio Derby.

"I'm so privileged to be part of this football club in this role and will do it until I'm told otherwise. Above all, I love being here and am committed to trying to make this club as successful as possible."

Asked if Derby's recruitment drive, reinforcing his League One side with players with recent Premier League experience, had made promotion an immediate target, Rosenior said it is his "job to set the bar as high as possible".

"We have players in that dressing room who have been promoted from League One, been promoted from the Championship and played at the highest level," he continued.

"This club demands that. No matter the situation of coming out of administration, this is a huge football club with fantastic tradition."

Derby - who were crowned English champions for the first time under the late, great Brian Clough 50 years ago - start their first season in the third tier since 1986 against Oxford United on Saturday, 30 July.