Plymouth angrily hit back at Wayne Rooney claims after sacking Man Utd legend

Plymouth chief Simon Hallett has hit back at suggestions Wayne Rooney was hired as a publicity stunt after confirming a planned documentary would no longer be taking place.

Rooney, 39, was appointed as Plymouth's head coach back in the summer despite a woeful stint at Birmingham City last year.

And while the England and Manchester United legend was given every chance to make a success of himself with the Pilgrims, Rooney was sacked a fortnight ago after overseeing a rotten run of form which saw the club drop to the bottom of the Championship table.

The decision to appoint Rooney was scrutinised in the summer, with some questioning the motives behind said call. But Hallett insists the club were genuinely of the belief that Rooney was the right man for the job.

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"Raising our profile was not one of the considerations in hiring Wayne Rooney," he wrote in an update shared on the club's official website.

"We thought that he would be able to help us win football matches. During Wayne’s tenure as Head Coach, we saw glimpses of what was possible, but clearly both results and underlying performances were showing few signs of being at the level we need.

"We thank Wayne for what he did achieve in his months at the Club. He united the players, helped restore a positive attitude at the Club and won over the fans whose support had been tested for a few months in 2024. His approachable nature and down to earth personality made him a popular figure and we will miss him."

Image: Dan Mullan) Dan Mullan)

After confirming that the club would be announcing Rooney's successor soon, Hallett went on to address a planned documentary, which, he admits, was deemed as something that would be beneficial in terms of raising the club's profile.

It was speculated that the documentary would be canned following the club's decision to part ways with Rooney. And Hallett has confirmed that is indeed the case.

He continued: "As a result of Wayne’s departure, we have cancelled the plan to film a documentary centred around him and his time with Argyle. We were approached by a production company that had worked with Wayne in a previous project, and believed that the proposal was consistent with our desire to raise the Club’s profile."

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