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Report: Players now fear their manager won’t be able to say no to Everton job

Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
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Wayne Rooney, manager of Derby County during the Sky Bet Championship match between Derby County and Sheffield United at the Pride Park, Derby on Saturday 15th January 2022.  (Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Derby County players fear that Wayne Rooney just won’t be able to say no to the Everton job despite his admirable loyalty to the club.

Everton sacked Rafael Benitez on Sunday afternoon, pulling the trigger after a dismal 2-1 defeat at Norwich City.

Farhad Moshiri has misfired too many times on the managerial front. Everton’s majority shareholder is already under intense pressure and needs to get this one right.

Everton fans need to be united again – well, at least in a good way. You could say that Everton fans were united from day one of the Benitez era, but united against him.

One of Moshiri’s targets appears to be a former Everton favourite, with Derby County boss Wayne Rooney wanted.

The Daily Mail claim that Rooney is set to be interviewed for the Everton job, as is former Rams manager Frank Lampard.

An interesting note in that report is that Derby players fear that Rooney just won’t be able to say no to Everton.

Everton were Rooney’s boyhood club, his first club, his last club in England. It’s a tired old saying, but cut Rooney and he bleeds blue – even if he left for Manchester Untied.

Few could have really expected Rooney to be in contention for the job, but he has just done such an amazing job at Derby.

rangers celtic leeds Tom Lawrence
Photo by Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images

Battling against financial chaos, Rooney has kept his head down and worked admirably.

This season, Derby had to cobble a squad of misfits together, mixing them in alongside a mostly homegrown squad.

Rooney has only lost seven times in 26 Championship games this season. If it wasn’t for a 21-point deduction, the Rams would be in the top half of the table.

Rooney is showing huge potential as a manager, performing far beyond expectations in a terrible situation at Derby.

Everton simply have to look into Rooney’s situation given his ties to the club, and there is clearly a fear at Derby that he may just leave.

COVENTRY, ENGLAND - JANUARY 08: Wayne Rooney, Manager of Derby County looks on prior to the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Coventry City and Derby County at The Coventry Building Society Arena on January 08, 2022 in Coventry, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images