No, Wayne Rooney should not be the next Everton manager

  • by Sebastian Oliveira
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At least not yet. 

Everton sacked Frank Lampard over the weekend in a move that seemed almost inevitable from the beginning. The news has reignited the managerial name carousel, and the Toffee’s homegrown legend Wayne Rooney is on a lot of lists. The connection is evident, but the move would make no sense for anyone involved.


Lampard did just enough to stave off relegation when brought on halfway through last season. But after the 2-0 loss to a similarly struggling West Ham, Everton sit firmly in the relegation zone in 19th, two points from safety. 

The recent struggles have proved to be a breaking point for the passionate fan base, who are making their displeasure known after enduring years of constant disappointment. 

The fragility of the situation makes it all the more important that things are changed drastically and quickly. The manager hire is at the forefront of concerns, with relegation being a very real threat for the second straight season. Everton is surrounded by uncertainty and they need something that can work now. There’s no guarantee of that with Rooney. 

A move for the current DC United manager would feel like another Lampard, maybe a slight bump in morale and a handful of memories but no tangible stability. What’s needed is a manager with established Premier League success, the ability to reignite the spirit on the field, and a track record of doing a lot with a little. In my opinion, the ideal candidate here is Sean Dyche. 


Dyche earned immense respect during his tenure at Burnley, lifting the Clarets to two Premier League promotions, a Championship title and a Europa League play-off over his near decade at the club. His success led to his name being thrown around for a number of jobs, including the England national team. 

The Everton position offers a triumphant return to the Premier League for Dyche. He could bring in a new era in a way that fans connect to. It would be the start of a rebuild, something he has experience in leading, that is in desperate need of a solid foundation. He won’t have the flash of Carlo Ancelotti or Rafa Benitez, but he’d get the results, consistently enough to give the club time to reinvent itself.

Dyche’s track record is what makes him such an ideal candidate, and Rooney’s lack of track record is what holds him back. His first gig at Derby came after an unusual transition from player to manager half-way through the 2020/21 season, and consisted of a string of peaks and valleys and ended with securing safety from relegation on the final day of the season. Derby went into administration the following season, falling to league one and letting go of Rooney in the summer of 2022. 

Two weeks later, Rooney found himself in the DC United job. His first match in charge saw DC win 2-1 over Orlando in dramatic fashion. But most of the damage was done, and Rooney didn’t have enough to steer DCU out from bottom of the league.


So, having not even managed for a full season cycle anywhere yet, and experiencing little success within those brief bouts, the risks are far too great to give into nostalgia for Everton. They need someone proven, and Rooney has a lot to do yet to prove himself. 

Down the road, this could be a match made in heaven. Right now, it doesn’t work.

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Sebastian Oliveira