Rooney Suggests Under-18 Team Would Have Performed Better in 6-1 Loss

Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney stated that the club’s junior team could have outperformed his first XI during their 6-1 defeat at Norwich City. This season, Rooney’s side has also experienced significant losses, including 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday and 5-0 at Cardiff City. The Pilgrims were largely outplayed throughout the match and might have conceded more goals if Norwich had been more clinical with their opportunities, particularly in the first half. This result marked the former England captain’s most substantial loss since assuming his role at Home Park in the summer. Argyle has yet to secure an away victory this season and currently sits two points above the relegation zone, with three of the four teams below them holding games in hand. Rooney commented on the team’s performance, stating, “We were nowhere near good enough – we are down to the bare bones with injuries but that is no excuse.” He also noted the absence of key players, including captain Joe Edwards, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Connor Hazard, and forwards Ibrahim Cissoko, Morgan Whittaker, and Muhamed Tijani. He added, “But if players want to come in the team and stay in the team then they need to perform better than that.” Rooney expressed his profound disappointment and frustration, remarking, “I could probably put the under-18 team out there and they wouldn’t concede six goals, so I’m very disappointed, angry, frustrated and the next 24-48 hours are not going to be very nice for the players, but we need to get to the bottom of why this is happening.” The 39-year-old coach indicated his intention to investigate the reasons behind his team’s poor away form, which has resulted in only two draws from nine matches outside Devon this season. He further stated, “Getting that win and better results away from home – we know it’s difficult in this league for teams to win away from home – but we have to be a lot better than we were tonight.” Rooney conveyed his empathy for the supporters who traveled to the match, acknowledging their efforts. He said, “I feel for the fans who came here because I know the distance they’ve travelled to get behind the players and I know for any fan when you see your team put in that performance and get that result you’re not going to be pleased about it.” He concluded by affirming his commitment to resolving the team’s inconsistent results: “I’m dealing with it, I’m trying to get to the bottom of why every now and again we’re having these results and hopefully I can do that sooner rather than later.”