Wayne Rooney ‘has friends in football protecting him’ but ‘needs to be told truth about his career’, slams Man Utd icon

DWIGHT YORKE has slammed Wayne Rooney's managerial career and suggested he has "friends protecting him".

The former Manchester United striker, 52, was critical of Rooney's career in management so far.

Rooney is currently the boss of Plymouth, but only earned a defeat and a draw from his opening two Championship games.

But the 38-year-old has not fared too well in previous managerial stints either, with stint's at Derby, DC United and Birmingham ending on less than fruitful terms.

And speaking to , Yorke was less than kind when discussing Rooney's managerial career.

He said: "We have all tried to defend Wayne Rooney on his managerial record in the chances he has been given but you can only defend him for so long.

"He’s got a real opportunity to show what he can do and show how he can get his team playing but he got off to the worst start possible.

"So far in management he’s been given chance after chance and done very little in terms of success, that’s out there and it’s well documented and you can only defend that record for so long.

"He needs to do better at management, simple.

"He's got friends in football that are protecting him and now he needs to give something back. I can defend him but he’s had the platform to succeed and so far he hasn’t delivered.

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"You've got to show why you're worthy of being a manager and there will come a point in time when someone has to tell him the truth and the real truth about his managerial career.

"I give him the benefit of the doubt because I know Rooney himself, but he has to do better and that start hasn't helped him. If that continues, maybe management is not for him.

"I won't say that is the case just yet, but he's getting jobs because he’s Wayne Rooney. He needs to do better."

Yorke's own coaching career saw him leading Australian side Macarthur FC.

He managed 18 matches with the club, winning ten matches with six defeats and two draws.

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