Gary Neville says manager candidate would ‘jump at the chance’ to become Everton boss

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Gary Neville has claimed that Derby County boss, Wayne Rooney, would ‘jump at the chance’ to become Everton manager, as he told Sky Sports.

The Sky pundit thinks his former Manchester United teammate wouldn’t take ‘five minutes’ to accept the available Everton role if it was offered to him.

The Toffees sacked Rafa Benitez last week and now the club are on the lookout for his replacement.

Duncan Ferguson is currently holding the fort and he watched his side suffer a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday following Benitez’s sacking.

Will Everton hand the role to Ferguson for the rest of the season? Will they bring in a man with experience?

Or will they go down the road of an Aston Villa and hand a legendary ex-player, like Rooney, the manager’s role?

Well, if Rooney is the man appointed by Farhad Moshiri, then Neville thinks he will have to follow what Gerrard is doing at Villa.

“I think he wouldn’t ring me up for advice about that because he would jump at the chance,” said Neville.

“I mean, Wayne Rooney, being asked to be Everton manager. Growing up as a fan. As a kid there. Going back there at the end of his career.

“I don’t think it would take five minutes for him to go back. Whether or not that would be right for him or not. Or whether it would work or not. I don’t know.

“Going back to Wayne Rooney, he would have to go into the Premier League and do what Steven Gerrard is doing now. He would have the passion.

“He has the grounding at Derby. He is working in difficult circumstances, so he is getting the experience. But he would jump at the chance, of course.”

It does seem as though Rooney, along with his former England teammate, Frank Lampard are on Everton’s minds.

It was reported by the Telegraph last week that Everton were planning to interview the duo for the vacant job.

Whether or not that has happened, remains to be seen, but, in the meantime, Rooney will be putting all his focus on financially-ruined, Derby.

Points deduction, in administration and threat of liquidation, it’s a complete and utter mess in the East Midlands.

And through it all, Rooney has stood firm with the fans and those behind the scenes, so it will be interesting to see how he responds if Everton come calling.