Rooney: Emotional Variety Shows Helped Me Overcome Difficulties; The First Round Defeat in the Championship Was Purely Accidental

The former Manchester United and England star, current Plymouth Argyle manager, Wayne Rooney, pointed out in an interview that after the 0-4 defeat in the first round of the Championship, he managed to overcome the impact of the loss by watching a certain variety show.

In the midweek, Plymouth Argyle beat Cheltenham, a League Two team, 3-0 in the first round of the League Cup, which helped them move past the shadow of their 0-4 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the first match of the Championship. Rooney expressed satisfaction with the team’s response after the heavy defeat, but he revealed that his ability to move on from the loss was due to a program called “First Dates.”

In an interview with BBC, Rooney said: “Pressure is always there, it’s part of football. After Sunday’s game, I turned off my phone and watched an episode of ‘First Dates.’ It’s important that you can turn off your phone and get away from it (public opinion). Then on Monday morning, I rewatched the game and started thinking. You might have a bad game, it happens, the important thing is to turn off your phone because sometimes you think too much, which can affect your mentality.”

After the 4-goal defeat, Rooney faced a lot of criticism. As a player, Rooney’s abilities are unquestionable, but as a coach, the doubts surrounding him haven’t been dispelled. Last season, he coached Birmingham City for three months, winning only two out of fifteen games, leading to the team’s relegation from the Championship. Rooney’s fame as a player also means extra attention, adding more pressure to him.

Rooney stated: “I understand, I know I receive more attention, it’s fine, I can handle it. I know what we’re doing and our goals. The 0-4 defeat against Wednesday was an accident, I don’t think it’s time to panic yet. We must involve the team, discuss together, and look forward. I said some very harsh words about the players’ performance, and thankfully, I got the response I wanted.”