Plymouth Argyle Director of Football Neil Dewsnip Expresses Club’s Full Support for Head Coach Wayne Rooney

Plymouth Argyle’s Director of Football, Neil Dewsnip, has stated that the entire club “is behind” head coach Wayne Rooney. Dewsnip previously coached Rooney during his teenage years at Everton. Rooney’s team, currently hampered by injuries, has recently suffered significant defeats in the Championship, conceding 10 goals across two matches: a 6-1 loss to Norwich City last Tuesday and a 4-0 defeat against Bristol City on Saturday. Following these results, Rooney characterized the past week as “the hardest” of his managerial career, with his side positioned just one spot and two points clear of the relegation zone. Speaking to BBC Radio Devon, Dewsnip conveyed Rooney’s determination, stating, “He’s driven to turn the ship around.” He added, “We’re all behind him, we’re all fighting alongside him and hopefully we can turn that into a good performance and a winning performance on Saturday.” Argyle, having secured only one victory in their last nine fixtures, is set to play newly promoted Oxford United at home. This upcoming match is crucial for both teams, as Oxford United currently sits one point ahead of Argyle at the lower end of the Championship table. Under Wayne Rooney’s management, Plymouth Argyle has yet to achieve an away win. However, Dewsnip emphasized the necessity for the club to maintain a realistic perspective regarding their position within the Championship hierarchy. He highlighted that the Pilgrims’ home ground, with a capacity of just under 17,500, is the third-smallest in the division, and unlike several other teams, they do not receive Premier League parachute payments. Dewsnip further remarked, “We compete in the Championship, which I think is the fifth-biggest league in the world.” He continued by outlining the club’s journey: “Over the last few years we’ve come from League Two to where we are, we’ve earned the right to be in the Championship, we want to stay in the Championship.” He concluded this point by stating, “We managed to do that last year and this year our aim is still the same – we’d like to do a little bit better than that.” Last season, Argyle secured their survival in the second tier, their first campaign at that level since 2010, by a margin of one point, following a victory against Hull City on the final day. Dewsnip quoted Rooney’s ambition, saying, “Wayne talks about how he’d love to be safe with at least four games to go, so that’s kind of where the target will remain until we’ve achieved it.” He continued by acknowledging the competitive landscape: “But we mustn’t forget we’re in a league that has some really big football clubs, Premier League clubs if we’re really honest.” Dewsnip further clarified their position, stating, “We’re competing in the bottom half of that league – you might even argue the bottom half of the bottom half of that league.” He concluded by affirming the club’s approach: “So we have sensible expectations, we know it is a massive challenge, but one that we relish, one that we understand and one that we succeeded in last year and we’re going to succeed again this year.”