Wayne Rooney: Manchester United and England legend in his own words

WR: With management, it was something I always wanted to go into. I saw it as a challenge. I always want in life to be challenged and take things head on, but also understood that there’s a chance it might go wrong as well. But I don’t mind taking that risk and challenge.

Some former players might wait for the perfect opportunity. The Derby County one… I was playing there and Phillip Cocu got sacked. We went into administration. It was a really tough start to management but I felt we did a really good job.

At DC United, when we went there, I felt we did a good job even though it doesn’t get portrayed that way. They had finished bottom the three seasons before we went there and we got them to within a point of the play-offs.

The Birmingham one, everything was wrong – the timing of it, the fans didn’t really give me an opportunity, we lost games. It felt right at the time but looking back at it, it wasn’t.

And at Plymouth, we were doing OK for what we had and then the decision was made. After that I thought, ‘I don’t know why I am putting myself in these positions’. I looked into doing punditry, did bits and enjoyed it and felt the time was right. So here I am!