Rooney focused on winning upon return to former club

Saturday’s trip to Derby County is a homecoming of sorts for Wayne Rooney, but the current Argyle and former Rams boss has eyes only on picking up a second positive result of the week for his current side.  

Argyle won 1-0 against Portsmouth on Tuesday, and now face another team promoted from Sky Bet League One last season, albeit one performing far better in the Championship than bottom side Pompey.  

Derby are 13th, and have notably, like Argyle, performed well at home. They have won four, drawn one and lost one of their Pride Park fixtures this campaign.  

Rooney’s final playing days, and first managerial steps, were made with Derby, and though he clearly retains fondness for a team that allowed him to cut his coaching teeth during a financially desperate time for the club, he knows that sentiment ends when the first whistle blows.  

“I'm looking forward to going back up to Derby,” said Rooney. “It’ll be nice to see some old friends and familiar faces, people I've worked with for a while and under very difficult circumstances. 

“We've got a very difficult team coming up on Saturday in Derby County, and for us we have to go there, and again, I think this game is about the result. Of course we want to play. We want to try to take the ball. Derby are an aggressive team; they're very similar to Portsmouth from that point of view.  

“We're expecting them to go man-to-man, which they do quite a lot, so they'll try to make it difficult for us - but we have to find a way to win.  

“This league is a difficult league, but they've come up and they've done really well. I'm sure Paul Warne will be delighted with the start they've had.  

“I think [you think about returning to a former club] more so as a player. As a player, you're on the pitch. I'm sure Morgan [Whittaker] will get a bit of stick when he goes back on Saturday, but he's been back before a few times and had that stick. As a player, I think it's always something you look for. 

“As a manager, you're focusing on just trying to get the win, the same as any other game. 

“It'll be nice to go back and see some familiar faces who I worked through difficult moments with, and the fans - we went through a lot together. It'll be nice to see them, but ultimately, I'm going there to try to win the game.”