Wayne Rooney wants to join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City

Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has had three managerial jobs so far with Derby County, DC United, and Birmingham City spells ending prematurely.

His final tenure at Birmingham City, ended within three months of his appointment, winning just twice in 15 matches, and he is now in search of a new job.

The United top scorer has made a surprising revelation, expressing his wish to join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, if the chance to become his assistant manager comes along.

Rooney sees his desired scenario as a valuable opportunity to learn and improve under the guidance of the Spanish managerial maestro.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, asked if he would be willing to become an assistant, the 38-year-old said:

" It depends [on whether I’d ever be an assistant]."

"If Pep Guardiola comes in and asks me to be his assistant, you’d walk there!"

Rooney pointed to Mikel Arteta's current managerial success at Arsenal, attributing it to lessons learned under Guardiola in his three-year stint from 2016 to 2019. He further explored the impact of mentorship in football management and its influence on career choices.

He added:

"You see what [Mikel] Arteta is doing now [at Arsenal] and I strongly believe a lot of that is from learning what Guardiola was doing, and so it depends on what the situation is."

The former England international revealed why he regards Guardiola as the best manager while City remain the top club in the Premier League.

"For me, the best manager is Pep and you look at how he adapts – how they (City) are playing now is not the same as how they were playing four years ago,"

- he continued

"He keeps making these subtle changes and then you see everyone else trying to do the same."

Rooney admitted he is willing to start at lower levels and work his way up, which showcases his commitment to his managerial aspirations.

"It’s all experience – I’m only 38, I’ve had three managerial jobs but I’ve got quite a bit of experience to lean on,"

- said the former striker

"If you look at the three clubs I’ve managed, going in at Derby under their circumstances in administration, DC United who were bottom of the league when I went over there, and now Birmingham, who over the past 10 years have been a mess."

"I want to focus on getting back into management. The main thing for me is to completely cut out what I’ve done as a player and almost start again as a manager. Of course, my playing experience will help me, but I’m right at the bottom from a managerial point of view, and I want to work my way up."

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