Wayne Rooney will NOT play for Derby County on Saturday against Wycombe Wanderers to focus solely on managing instead... despite the Rams being rock bottom of Championship
* Wayne Rooney will not take to the pitch for Derby County to manage instead
* The Rams have a hugely important relegation tie against Wycombe Wanderer
* Rooney, 35, has become the lead figure among Derby's four interim coaches
Wayne Rooney is to consign himself to the sidelines for Derby County on Saturday as he focuses solely on the task of managing for the first time in the club's crucial bottom of the Championship six-pointer against Wycombe Wanderers.
Having been named a member of the four-person coaching group taking interim charge of the Rams since Phillip Cocu's sacking earlier this month, Rooney has become its lead figure and will not play in the upcoming fixture to take on the manager role.
The decision was reportedly taken following discussions on Thursday after Derby's drab 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough the night before.
Wayne Rooney will not be on the pitch in Derby County's match against Wycombe Wanderers
The defeat leaves Derby rock bottom of the Championship, with just one win from 13 matches.
After the match, Liam Rosenior, who alongside Rooney, Justin Walker and Shay Given makes up Derby's coaching group, said the squad is young but 'need to learn very, very quickly what it takes to win games in the Championship'.
'Before you speak about tactics or playing style, you need to compete, you need to win headers, you need to win second balls, you need to track runners.
'I just feel there is a real lack of confidence at the moment and it is something we are going to have really affect now - it has to change now.'
Rooney is one of four coaches taking interim charge at Derby after Phillip Cocu was sacked. Rooney has scored just one goal in 10 league appearances for rock-bottom Derby this season. Liam Rosenior said Derby have to 'learn very, very quickly' to survive in the Championship
Despite having the former Manchester United striker, who is England's record goalscorer, Derby have only managed a woeful five goals so far this campaign.
Rooney himself has only bagged one of those in 10 league appearances, although he has been playing in a more withdrawn role for the Rams rather than reprising his former centre forward days.
Both Derby and Wycombe, who sit just two places above them in the relegation zone, are two of the bookies' favourites to be relegated from the Championship this season.
Rosenior added: 'This has to be a watershed moment. Not just for this season, but for this football club. We need to move things forward. To do that in the Championship, you have to do the basics.'
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