Plymouth close to naming Rooney replacement

Wayne Rooney led Plymouth Argyle to just four wins in his time in charge

Plymouth Argyle owner Simon Hallett says the the club is close to naming a new head coach to replace Wayne Rooney.

The former England captain left the club on 31 December with the Pilgrims bottom of the Championship after a run of one win and nine losses in 14 games.

Former Argyle boss Steven Schumacher and ex-Norwich City and Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner have been linked with the role.

"We hope to be able to announce a new head coach in the very near future," Hallett said in his first public comments since Rooney's departure after a record of just four league wins since taking charge of the Pilgrims in May.

"We have moved quickly to identify head coaches with a track record of playing the kind of football we want to see at Home Park and have a track record of improving the teams they inherit."

'We will miss him' - Hallett on Rooney

Simon Hallett funded Plymouth Argyle's historic League One title win in 2023 which saw the club amass 101 points

Hallett says hiring Rooney - who had had a poor spell in charge of Birmingham City prior to taking over at Argyle - was not about raising the club's profile.

He says the former Everton and Manchester United star did much to unite the club after a difficult time at the back end of last season.

After Schumacher left for Stoke City, Argyle appointed former England youth coach Ian Foster as his replacement in January, but his time in charge saw the club slip into the relegation places before he was sacked.

Argyle survived on the final day of last season thanks to a 1-0 win over Hull City under the caretaker stewardship of director of football Neil Dewsnip and long-serving coach Kevin Nancekivell, who is again in interim charge.

Hallett has also confirmed that a documentary about the club and Rooney's time in charge has been stopped - cameras had been following the 39-year-old and the club earlier in the season.

"Raising our profile was not one of the considerations in hiring Wayne Rooney," Hallett added.

"We thought that he would be able to help us win football matches.

"During Wayne's tenure as head coach, we saw glimpses of what was possible, but clearly both results and underlying performances were showing few signs of being at the level we need.

"We thank Wayne for what he did achieve in his months at the club. He united the players, helped restore a positive attitude at the club and won over the fans whose support had been tested for a few months in 2024.

"His approachable nature and down-to-earth personality made him a popular figure and we will miss him."

Talks with new investors to boost Argyle funds

Record signing Michael Baidoo could make his debut in the FA Cup thrid-round trip to Brentford on Saturday

Hallett said he and his fellow investors will provide the funds to finance a squad capable of pulling out of the relegation places.

Having twice paid a club-record £1m, to sign Bali Mumba and Morgan Whittaker, in the summer of 2023, Argyle broke that record last week to bring in Ghana midfielder Michael Baidoo from Swedish side Elfsborg.

Hallett has also invested heavily in infrastructure, with a redeveloped Mayflower Stand at Home Park and work under way on the new Foulston Park training centre at the Brickfields.

But Hallett says it is important that the club is self-sufficient and does not return to the situation it faced 14 years ago, when it went into administration.

"I have always been clear that I could commit enough to enable us to get to the Championship, but that beyond that would take new sources of capital," he said.

"As the Championship has developed and resources available to other clubs have grown, it has become increasingly difficult to generate enough internally for a squad that is going to compete in the upper half of the division.

"As a result, we have been seeking new investment for well over a year. We are close to finalising a transaction, but the final stages may take some time.

"I apologise for being so opaque about this, but we are simply not allowed to reveal the party concerned.

"As I said, until any deal is finalised shareholders will provide funds for player investment."