Mueez Ajao
– Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has said he turned down an opportunity from Premier League side Everton to interview for their vacant manager’s position.
– Everton have been without a manager since Rafa Benitez was sacked earlier this month after a disappointing six months in charge at Goodison Park.
– Rooney, 36, said on Friday his agent was contacted by his former club but he turned the approach down to focus on Derby.
Also Read: Rooney retires from football, to be Derby manager
– “Everton approached my agent and asked me to interview for the job,” Rooney said.
– “But I turned it down. I believe I will be a Premier League manager and I am ready for that 100 percent. But I have a job at Derby, which is important to me.”
– Derby sit 23rd in the Championship, eight points adrift of safety, after being deducted 21 points by the EFL: 12 points for entering administration, or proceedings to mitigate financial insolvency, and a further nine points in November for historical breaches of financial rules under former owner Mel Morris.
– Rooney has previously told ESPN keeping Derby up would be his “biggest achievement in football.”
– Roberto Martinez is the leading candidate to replace Benitez as Everton manager, while Frank Lampard and Vitor Pereira are also understood to be on the shortlist.
