Most close observers know Wayne Rooney as the protagonist of one of the greatest moments in Major League Soccer history (shown below). I mean, there was some Manchester United and England national team stuff, too, but his stint at DC United really put Wazza on the map.
If the rest of his managerial career is half as exciting as the first full year of it, though, Rooney might find himself in an entirely different pantheon.
Rooney took over as manager of Championship side Derby County on a permanent basis in January 2021, steering the struggling Rams to safety on the last day of the season. The narrow escape from relegation to the third division of English soccer was but a brief respite for the club.
Derby County was penalized twice by the English Football League, stung with a 12-point deduction in September 2021 for entering fiscal administration due to mismanagement and then with a further 9-point deduction in November. The total 21-point penalty left the Rams at the bottom of the Championship table with -3 points. Everything means less than zero, hey. (Elvis is a big Liverpool fan, so he probably doesn't care much about Darby's miseries.)
Despite having limited funds to acquire new players and the prospect of a steep uphill climb, Rooney's Rams have soldiered on. As of this writing, Derby County sit 22nd of 24 Championship sides with 24 points. Their 11 wins and 12 draws in 36 games would be good for 45 points and a solid, safe mid-table standing were it not for the penalties they faced. Were the season to end today, Rooney's boys would be relegated after a valiant but doomed effort.
The season, though, does not end today. Derby County are five points from safety with ten matches to play. Reading are barely clinging to the 21st spot in the table with 29 points. The Royals have only won two of their past 15 league matches, dropping eight points to Derby over that span. Barnsley and Peterborough will have something to say, as well, on 24 and 22 points, respectively.
While much attention will and should be focused on the top of the League Championship table, where Fulham need just 17 points from 11 matches to assure promotion to the Premier League, the relegation scrap at the bottom will be epic.
Should Derby avoid relegation, the club still has to find an owner willing to cover the substantial debts run up by their previous (mis)management, so a happy ending may turn cloudy. But let's hope the sun shines on the Rams, if ever so briefly.
The entire Gheorghie community should support Wayne Rooney and Derby County in their quest. Up the Wazza! Up the Rams!
Good to see that the rebranded team in Washington is still riding with a QB whose most productive days are in the past.
I'm dragging ass after a mini vacation to Florida, capped with a missed connection home and a late night drive from Charlotte in an overpriced rental Kia Sorrento that I was damn lucky to get.
I'm dragging ass as I look toward next week in New Orleans. Between that and conference tournaments heating up, it may not be my most productive work day of all time.
I'm dragging ass because zdaughter seems to have given me the cold she's been harboring since Monday night. Just in time for me to travel to SF on Monday. Hopefully I will be allowed to board the plane.
Nets-76ers did have some juice early until it became obvious Harden wanted no part of it. Pretty pathetic display of competitiveness, or a lack thereof, by him.
I really don’t care that much about baseball at this point in my life but I’m happy that the lockout is over because I have a weeklong trip to Boston in May during the middle of Red Sox home stand and I’ve never been to Fenway.
Fenway is a classic. I’ve never had good seats there (when I was broke and living on Cape Cod I got a lot of Obstructed View tickets), and it’s never mattered.
I've heard all of these things and I still can't wait to go. I was supposed to go many years ago with my Dad and my flight to Boston was cancelled due to terrible thunderstorms. Of course, by first pitch it was beautiful and my Dad had a great time. Sox are in town the entire week I'm there and the weekend after so I'm making this shit happen one way or another.
I've had good seats, bad seats, and everything in between at Fenway. It's a really fun place to see a game even when you're wearing a Don Mattingly jersey. I lived about 1/3 of a mile from the ballpark so challah at me before you go and I'll give you some recs.
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22 comments:
Up the Wazza is a bit close to Up the Wazoo. So I'm for it.
Dave's Brentford look like they have some breathing room, but Zman's club is in trouble.
the bees aren't yet completely safe, but they're breathing okay. the canaries are in the coal mine, as it were. bleak times in norwich.
Quite the second half gag job by PSG.
it would've been glorious had they lost to anyone other than fucking madrid.
Carson Wentz… meh. Coulda been worse, I suppose. $28 million is a lot to pay someone of that limited caliber.
Good to see that the rebranded team in Washington is still riding with a QB whose most productive days are in the past.
I'm dragging ass after a mini vacation to Florida, capped with a missed connection home and a late night drive from Charlotte in an overpriced rental Kia Sorrento that I was damn lucky to get.
I'm dragging ass as I look toward next week in New Orleans. Between that and conference tournaments heating up, it may not be my most productive work day of all time.
I'm dragging ass because zdaughter seems to have given me the cold she's been harboring since Monday night. Just in time for me to travel to SF on Monday. Hopefully I will be allowed to board the plane.
Hopefully the ensuing 72 hours will give you time to shake zcold. The security line at MCO earned it my new worst airport experience award.
Oh, rootsy. I feel your pain. MCO is a fucking nightmare. I fly out of there more often than not. Never a good experience.
Nets-76ers has some real juice. Lots of shit talking and super physical. I could for 7 of these.
Nets-76ers did have some juice early until it became obvious Harden wanted no part of it. Pretty pathetic display of competitiveness, or a lack thereof, by him.
I really don’t care that much about baseball at this point in my life but I’m happy that the lockout is over because I have a weeklong trip to Boston in May during the middle of Red Sox home stand and I’ve never been to Fenway.
fenway is a dirty, cramped old building with some lousy sightlines that's filled with massholes. and i love it.
Like Mark, I’ve got some MLB on my summer calendar (5/13 Mets), otherwise those clowns could pound sand.
Fenway is a classic. I’ve never had good seats there (when I was broke and living on Cape Cod I got a lot of Obstructed View tickets), and it’s never mattered.
and most of the seats are built for the average-sized 1910s american, so i imagine they were a tight squeeze for the big fella.
True fact
I've heard all of these things and I still can't wait to go. I was supposed to go many years ago with my Dad and my flight to Boston was cancelled due to terrible thunderstorms. Of course, by first pitch it was beautiful and my Dad had a great time. Sox are in town the entire week I'm there and the weekend after so I'm making this shit happen one way or another.
Let's check the Nats sked and see if they're in town when you're up here for the Rage/RTJ show...
Cardinals and Mets in town that week, Mark
Cardinals! Mark, you should go!
I've had good seats, bad seats, and everything in between at Fenway. It's a really fun place to see a game even when you're wearing a Don Mattingly jersey. I lived about 1/3 of a mile from the ballpark so challah at me before you go and I'll give you some recs.
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