Wayne Rooney has revealed he spoke to Steven Gerrard before he was announced as Derby County boss.
Taking the reins at Pride Park, the Manchester United legend has retired from football and is excited about the next chapter in his life.
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Rooney signed a two and a half year deal with Derby
And Rooney has apparently already sought some advice from those with more management experience, with former teammate Gerrard having been in charge of Rangers since 2018.
Rooney told talkSPORT: “This time has come for me to quit playing, I’ve come to terms with that over the last couple of months and now I have new excitement, new buzz to realize my potential in as a manager. so i’m excited.
“I spoke to Steven Gerrard yesterday actually. Obviously he’s a good friend of mine and I spoke to him to have a chat and had a good chat with him.
“Of course, I spoke to players a little older than me, but I took the managerial path at a young age. I can only take advantage of this.
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Gerrard and Rooney, both of Liverpool, were close when playing for England
“We may have different ideas, different styles in our approach to the game, but it’s okay to talk to them and learn from their experiences and what they’ve been through in recent years.
Rooney was also asked by talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams about his favorite memories during his playing career.
Abrahams, a die-hard West Ham fan, begged Rooney not to say it was his goal from the halfway line at Upton Park while playing for Man United in 2014.
But Rooney had a brilliant response, correcting Abrahams on his facts, having also hit a halfway goal against West Ham on his second stint at Everton in 2017.
He brazenly said, “There were two against West Ham from the middle line, which one?”
Rooney added: “There have been so many, but the Premier League winners’ first medal was a huge moment for us as a team. It was the start of our team in a race for domination.
“Obviously there was the Champions League and I think a big moment for me was winning the FA Cup which I saw Everton do as a fan in 95. I lost two finals and I didn’t think that was going to happen but then I won it as captain and lifting the FA Cup at Wembley was a special moment.
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Rooney won five Premier League titles at Man United
