Neil Dewsnip remembers a nine-year-old Wayne Rooney at Everton determined to hit the heights as a player.
Now as Plymouth Argyle’s director of football, Dewsnip recognises the same steely fortitude in the 38-year-old Rooney who is turning his back on a permanent TV pundit role to take charge of The Pilgrims.
“Birmingham City didn’t go great for him but even Sir Alex Ferguson has experienced the sack at St. Mirren. What do they say? The path to success is not always a straight line?” Dewsnip asked. “He’s had a bump in the road but at Derby he was up against the odds and did well while D.C United almost made the MLS play-offs.
"Knowing the kind of person he is he would have learned from all that. He will use that as incredible motivation.”
Dewsnip during his work at an Everton academy where he also helped develop the careers of Leon Osman, Ross Barkley and Jack Rodwell his relationship with the precocious Rooney has continued over the years.
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“When he went to Manchester United obviously we weren’t around one another,” he added. “My next connection with him was when I left Everton to join England with all the junior teams. I would then start to meet him at St. George’s Park.
“We would have a coffee together and talk. I would invite Wayne to speak to which ever age group I was in charge of at the time. It was nice to meet up again.”
Rooney is determined to make himself the best manager he can (Richard Callis/SPP/REX/Shutterstock)Dewsnip smiles at the time last season when they were in opposite technical areas with himself and Kevin Nancekivell temporarily taking charge of Plymouth following Steven Schmacher’s move to Stoke.
“The game was fantastic ending up 3-3, an absolute thriller.” he recalled. “I put a 17-year-old on the pitch Freddy Issaka, who almost wins the game in the last minute for us and Wayne’s looking at me with a knowing look because it’s shades of him at the same age.
“Regarding the Plymouth job Wayne made the initial move that he wanted to be involved in the process of us looking for a head coach.
"We must have had around 80 showing an interest. We got it down to a smaller number and asked four to come for an interview. Wayne was one of them and deservedly won the day. He didn’t receive any favours.
“It came through very strongly that he was anxious to be actively involved again despite making a very favourable impression as a TV pundit. The desire was there.
“He has gone on record saying that one day he would like to become manager of Manchester United. In order to do that he convinced us he was full of enthusiasm and had fire in his belly to do the best he possibly can at Argyle.
"If he doesn’t then he won’t progress to his dream job.”
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