Wayne Rooney has been appointed as manager of D.C. United, the Major League Soccer club announced on Tuesday.
Rooney, 36, resigned as manager of Derby County last month after suffering relegation from the Championship with the club last season -- Derby were handed a 21-point deduction after being placed in administration.
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The former Manchester United striker played 52 matches for D.C. during a two-year spell from 2018-20, scoring 25 goals.
"I've seen I've seen a few articles certainly back in England, on this as possibly a backward step in my managerial career," Rooney said. "I really found that disrespectful to this league. And I feel the experience again at Derby County of the past 18 months has been great in my development as a coach, as a manager, and to really come here back to the MLS, back to D.C. United was a exciting challenge for me, something of which I feel can develop me as a coach, but also, the team needs to improve.
"I think that's obvious for everyone to see. And I really believe with my capabilities of developing players, young players, of course, we're working hard to get a few new players in, we can really get this club back to successful ways again. And it's gonna take a lot of hard work, but that's what I'm here to do and really improve the team."
England's all-time leading goalscorer takes over for a D.C. United team that is second bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference after winning just five of 17 games this season.
"Wayne is a soccer legend and one of the most exciting and dynamic up-and-coming managers in our sport. He's already proven in his young coaching career that he knows how to lead a group through adversity," said Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan co-chairmen of D.C. United. "He has an understanding of our league and what it takes to be successful in Major League Soccer thanks to his two-year stay with us as a player. The passion he showed while wearing black-and-red electrified our city and our club and we are so excited to welcome him back as our head coach."
Rooney replaces Hernan Losada, who was fired in April. D.C. United has since been under the stewardship of interim manager Chad Ashton.
As a player, Rooney scored 253 goals for Manchester United and won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with the club. He is the England national team's record scorer with 53 goals.
The Washington D.C. club is tied with Chicago for the fewest points in MLS, with just 17 from as many matches.
On what he'd bring to the struggling team, Rooney said: "A style of play, an identity of play which I believe in, and that's certainly what I'll be trying to put into the into the team. I think as a player, playing in the main of me career at the top level, you can really choose which club you want to go to. As a manager, I'm at the beginning of that journey. I'm at a point in me managerial career where I have some of the work and I put the hours in.
"Of course I'm an ambitious person. One day I want to manage at the top level. And this is part of that process in terms of coming here, trying to develop this club trying to quote get success here, but also develop meself as a as a manager. But also the connection I've got with the club, so I'm proud to be here as a manager, proud to be trying to develop this club full time off the field."