Two former Derby County managers are now battling to land the same job in the English Football League this summer.
Derby County will be going up against a former manager in Wayne Rooney next season, after the ex-England striker landed the Plymouth Argyle job.
Rooney landed his first managerial gig with Derby County in November 2020 and would oversee 85 games, winning just 24 (28.2%).
It was a tough inaugural gig for the 38-year-old who had a financial saga to wade through. Rooney then landed the Birmingham City job in 2023, which he couldn’t make work.
Rooney won just two of his 15 games in charge. Many now think that he’s been somewhat lucky to land the Plymouth Argyle job, where he’ll face Paul Warne’s Derby County next season.
The 2024/25 Championship campaign could see the Rams facing some more former managers as well, with two ex-Derby County managers now battling to land the same job this summer.
- READ MORE: Player who Frank Lampard released at Derby County in 2019 is now set to star at Euro 2024
Frank Lampard and Liam Rosenior battling for Burnley job
Burnley will join Derby County in the Championship next season, following their relegation from the Premier League under Vincent Kompany.
In what seems like a crazy summer in the dugouts, Kompany has now landed the Bayern Munich job, leaving the Clarets with a new manager to hire.
TalkSPORT claim that former Derby County manager Frank Lampard, and former Rams interim boss Liam Rosenior, are both among the final candidates for the Turf Moor job.
Lampard has been without a club since leaving Everton in 2023. Rosenior meanwhile was sacked by Hull City last month, despite guiding the Tigers to a 7th place finish in the Championship last season.
Rosenior is also wanted by Sunderland; he’s reportedly held multiple rounds of talks with the Black Cats who are also in search of a new manager.
Can Derby County avoid Championship relegation under Paul Warne
Warne and his Derby County side will be going up against some big names next season; Burnley of course, then the likes of Sheffield United and Luton Town who’ll be joining the second tier roster as well.
There could also be some big names in the dugout; Lampard potentially returning to Championship management, with Rooney already back.
But the pair’s recent spells in management suggest that big names are not always, necessarily, big managers.
Someone like Warne who’s experienced, who’s had to make his way to the Championship the hard way, may be much better-suited for tackling what will be a very difficult Championship campaign next season.
Warne has done the hard yards in management and he won’t fear coming up against the league’s so-called big teams next season.
Derby County could come up against a few former managers next season. But Warne will be focussed solely on his own side’s performances.