Wayne Rooney press conference

[Brammie Steve]

17 hours ago, CornwallRam said:

Anyone else got a bit of dust in their eyes?

Brian Clough could not have handled this better.

What better accolade could a mere human being achieve or desire?

[Crewton]

It's his girlfriend I feel sorry for. 

[DanS1992]

7 hours ago, Jourdan said:

It was a tongue in cheek comment after my previous comments on Rooney and PR.

Acting dignified? Effort? Attempts to motivate players? Isn’t that the least you would expect from a manager in this position?

What is with the fanfare? He’s simply doing his job and what he is contracted to do. And he’s getting paid handsomely for it. He can’t really lose in this situation, so of course he isn’t going to walk away. I can think of 50,000 reasons not to.

No doubt he also knows the importance of getting the fans onside, so of course he will be aware of what to say to hit the right notes. Mel is public enemy 1, so it was an easy punch to throw.

But words are just words. Personally, I prefer to see a response on the pitch, not soundbites. If we see more spirited performances and results like the one vs Stoke, that is something to get behind.

But as it is, he is being given legendary status by some for making the brave choice to hand some bibs out, put a few cones down, answer a few questions, and pick up tens of thousands a week in the process.

Really? Bit exaggerated that. I don't think people are silly enough to see Rooney as a legend just because he is staying on despite the mess we are in, as well as helping the club here and there. I think people are just happy to see some honestly and clarity for the first time in a long time, myself included.

[RoyMac5]

8 hours ago, kevinhectoring said:

I believe they have been at loggerheads for some while and Rooney certainly appeared to confirm that today. I started a thread about it some weeks ago and it was removed

Again fans can assume as much as they like.

Perhaps they weren't speaking because Mel had nothing he could say to Rooney. We can see how well he dealt with talking to the fans and staff! That doesn't mean they were at 'loggerheads.

As Rooney said Morris has other things on his mind.

So in the end it is Rooney that is going to need the sympathy and support of the EFL, fans and administrators not Morris!

Edited September 24, 2021 by RoyMac5

[Jourdan]

1 hour ago, Chester40 said:

Did you watch his press conference? 

I usually agree with you and have been pretty anti-Rooney until 7 days ago. But this gets top points for trolling and has put me in the invidious position of liking @MuespachRamposts!

Rooney can have lots of things levelled against him but if that press conference was the result of PR advice and he was posturing to the camera then I would be astounded. His PR team would surely have said 'be statesmanlike and rise above it' anyway. 

You could feel his change of tone when Mel was discussed. He obviously feels incredibly angry that he is now steering the ship but wasn't been given the common courtesy of the facts. He clearly has had staff coming to him and asking about their livelihoods and he has been in the dark. Some fans were speculating it was all a plan that Mel had made Rooney part of, but obviously that wasn't the case. Staggers me Mel has basically left him front and centre without giving him the heads up.

Nothing about paying for equipment and leading the team through an almost impossible situation seemed contrived to me. He made a comment about the players finding his 5min talk being more useful and heartfelt than Mel's 45mins, I don't see him pushing that idea as something that promotes him as a football manager, it's a personal thing that shows him as a decent bloke only.  It's also easily checked by asking the players. Clearly that comment was made to him by several players. 

As an aside, Mel's leadership has finished now.  No avoiding the conclusion it's been a shockingly bad period in retrospect. Like a drunk in Vegas constantly chasing his losses it's now come to its logical outcome. What remains to be seen is whether he wakes up with a banging head and realises he can show responsibility and good faith by slowly nursing the situation to its best possible conclusion (I still believe he will) or whether he is more akin to a Maxwell Mk 2 and having bleed his company dry he walks away from the situation with no self awareness or contrition. 

I am not anti Rooney. I praise him and criticise him just as much as I did with Cocu, Lampard, Rowett and so on.

As I’ve said before, it takes me time to really warm to and invest in managers of the club. They tend not to stick around long enough or do well enough to make that viable.

If Rooney is true to his word, he will become the most popular manager the club has had this century. Something not even I will be able to argue with.

I hope he is being sincere and that I will be able to lead the Rooney chants from the away end at Home Park next year, because he has really dug in and committed himself to turning the club around.

If I was anti-Rooney, I would have had a field day when the newspaper reports of his night out in Manchester came out in pre-season.

The way people carry on, you would think I dive into Plymouth Sound in despair every time we win.

I watched the press conference. Like I’ve said before, look at the mood around the club, he only said the kind of things that would inevitably hit the right notes with the supporters.

I feel the best tonic at the moment won’t come in the press room but with a stirring performance on the pitch.

[RoyMac5]

7 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

I watched the press conference. Like I’ve said before, look at the mood around the club, he only said the kind of things that would inevitably hit the right notes with the supporters.

I feel the best tonic at the moment won’t come in the press room but with a stirring performance on the pitch.

So you don't want much then! 

A presser where he revealed the measure of the man. And after the WBA & Stoke games more of the same. No doubt you'd like him to discover a goal-scoring scholar too!!! ?

[Jourdan]

21 minutes ago, Crewton said:

It's his girlfriend I feel sorry for. 

She read your post and decided to leave me.

[Crewton]

15 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

She read your post and decided to leave me.

If brevity is the soul of wit, then I'm the a**hole. 

[atherstoneram]

25 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

I am not anti Rooney. I praise him and criticise him just as much as I did with Cocu, Lampard, Rowett and so on.

As I’ve said before, it takes me time to really warm to and invest in managers of the club. They tend not to stick around long enough or do well enough to make that viable.

If Rooney is true to his word, he will become the most popular manager the club has had this century. Something not even I will be able to argue with.

I hope he is being sincere and that I will be able to lead the Rooney chants from the away end at Home Park next year, because he has really dug in and committed himself to turning the club around.

If I was anti-Rooney, I would have had a field day when the newspaper reports of his night out in Manchester came out in pre-season.

The way people carry on, you would think I dive into Plymouth Sound in despair every time we win.

I watched the press conference. Like I’ve said before, look at the mood around the club, he only said the kind of things that would inevitably hit the right notes with the supporters.

I feel the best tonic at the moment won’t come in the press room but with a stirring performance on the pitch.

You haven't had time to warm to many managers then in recent years.Why don't they stick around long enough you have to wonder.

Do you really believe he only said things to hit the right note with the supporters,you are blaming the wrong man for that. We had an owner who was good at doing that. Some would say Rooneys press conference yesterday was the tonic we needed right now.

He sounded embarrassed at times when he was asked if he had bought things for the club and he replied "well it's what you do isn't it"

[Jimbo Ram]

1 hour ago, BriggRam said:

Got to agree with @Chester40on this @JourdanI like alot of what you say, but reference Rooney, I think your wrong,   he has been outstanding the way he has conducted himself this last week, I firmly believe so long as we get no more points deducted his leadership and the players fight, and the fans support will keep us up, and we will be the first team in history to avoid relegation after a 12 point deduction........

We are going to get more points deducted, need to accept that we are going down unfortunately....

[Chester40]

15 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

We are going to get more points deducted, need to accept that we are going down unfortunately....

I think we need to learn to welcome the coming points deduction as a blessing.  21 points this season is better than 12 now and waiting around to see if we get relegated regardless before applying another load to start next season. Maybe the administrators can get it reduced but its hard to argue Mel wasnt fiddling the system when quite clearly the pot is empty because of what he did.

[eccles the ram]

12 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

We are going to get more points deducted, need to accept that we are going down unfortunately....

Still not going to throw the towel in yet. The next six games  results will determine our season. Win three or four of them and we will be catching up. Lose most of them and its definitely 1st division for us. It also depends on when these next points deductions are allocated. The later they are allocated I believe the better it is psychologically for us. With a minus sign in front of our points total it's going to be harder than if we could amass sufficient plus points to negate this. The team needs us more than ever before. I have not given up. Call it blind faith afterall look what happened to Leicester when they won the league. They were written off and pulled through. History could repeat itself in that a club written off by most of its critics and a few fans could and it is a faint hope but could (with a bit of good luck)actual survive and stay up in this league. UTR.

[VulcanRam]

I've enjoyed reading this thread but there are some really over the top reactions here. Comparing him to Brian Clough? Crying? Come on...

And I'll stick up a bit for @Jourdan who is presenting some broadly common sense points, even if he's a bit cynical. I suspect, as always, the truth lies somewhere in the polarised views on this thread. 

Rooney I believe is doing a very good job thus far, in the face of difficult circumstances. He's impressed me. The team looks more motivated and organised than last season, they're giving it more of a go and he's pitched his comments to the media perfectly. I think they are genuine, but let's not pretend he doesn't have a good PR team behind him to advise him nonetheless. And yes he could walk away but why would he? He's got a well paid job in hard circumstances; well that puts him among several million in this country.

He's won the PR battle hands down with Mel Morris, though Morris pretty much lost him himself with the dreadful communication from the club in recent months and the interview he did with RD.

Supporters needed a leader to emerge from this, and he's taking that role. Let's hope he can keep it up. 

[Jimbo Ram]

19 minutes ago, eccles the ram said:

Still not going to throw the towel in yet. The next six games  results will determine our season. Win three or four of them and we will be catching up. Lose most of them and its definitely 1st division for us. It also depends on when these next points deductions are allocated. The later they are allocated I believe the better it is psychologically for us. With a minus sign in front of our points total it's going to be harder than if we could amass sufficient plus points to negate this. The team needs us more than ever before. I have not given up. Call it blind faith afterall look what happened to Leicester when they won the league. They were written off and pulled through. History could repeat itself in that a club written off by most of its critics and a few fans could and it is a faint hope but could (with a bit of good luck)actual survive and stay up in this league. UTR.

Let’s hope we get all points deducted this season and then can start on an equal footing in league 1 next season, that’s my hope ?

[Alph]

Jourdan, you sound quite cynical.

You could be 100% right. Rooney could turn out to be a complete con. 

But I would rather be an idiot and believe it all. Just because I find it unhealthy to be so cynical about everything. If newspapers were about all the good things that happen in the world then I'd read one. 

Believing Rooney is speaking from the heart gives me great encouragement and positivity. Ultimately it doesn't even matter if it was a PR stunt because it's worked on a lot of people. 

The alternative is rolling my eyes and thinking he's just another mercenary that will look after #1. Then I'm left feeling miserable. My chance to feel happy comes when? When proven right and Derby fall even further into despair? Nope, there's no chance of happiness then. 

I said enjoy the good times under Mac, some people moaned and missed that chance. Are they happier now? 

I would advise anybody to be gullible sometimes . To be naive sometimes. If it brings you happiness and doesn't leave you any more vulnerable than being cynical then what harm can it do? 

I mean, at the end of the day he might be sincere and you've robbed yourself of the chance to feel positive and rejuvenated. 

As for results proving anything? I guess it depends what you consider a good result in this mess. Promotion would be a good result but we have to be realistic about our capabilities and if more deductions come then finishing with 35 points could be a result! 

[TheresOnlyWanChope]

Can’t believe Rooney hasn’t walked away. The man is a fighter. He doesn’t need the money. He could get a well paid job elsewhere in any case as a coach or manager or in the media. He could also put his boots on and play MLS or somewhere. He’s choosing to fight at Derby. Have to give him respect for that. 

[Tamworthram]

1 hour ago, Jimbo Ram said:

We are going to get more points deducted, need to accept that we are going down unfortunately....

I’m glad you don’t do the team talks ?

Seriously though, I know it’s the hope that kills you but, until the rather large lady starts singing there is always a chance. We need to move up a few gears (I’m not sure we’re capable but you never know) but, the team that finished 9th last season (one place above Boro coincidentally) would have survived a 21 point deduction. Plus, you never know if any other teams will suffer points deductions this year. 
 

My expectations are low but, whilst there is a remote chance, we don’t have to accept it but need to keep battling. COYR

[Jimbo Ram]

19 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

I’m glad you don’t do the team talks ?

Seriously though, I know it’s the hope that kills you but, until the rather large lady starts singing there is always a chance. We need to move up a few gears (I’m not sure we’re capable but you never know) but, the team that finished 9th last season (one place above Boro coincidentally) would have survived a 21 point deduction. Plus, you never know if any other teams will suffer points deductions this year. 
 

My expectations are low but, whilst there is a remote chance, we don’t have to accept it but need to keep battling. COYR

Time will tell........I was always quite good at cutting the oranges at half time......

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, Alpha said:

Jourdan, you sound quite cynical.

You could be 100% right. Rooney could turn out to be a complete con. 

But I would rather be an idiot and believe it all. Just because I find it unhealthy to be so cynical about everything. If newspapers were about all the good things that happen in the world then I'd read one. 

Believing Rooney is speaking from the heart gives me great encouragement and positivity. Ultimately it doesn't even matter if it was a PR stunt because it's worked on a lot of people. 

There's a piece in today's Sun where Rooney says he understands how tough things can be for the staff because his Mum is a dinner lady at the school he went to and she might be about to lose her job. #emotionalintelligence.

"The England legend is determined to treat all his Rams’ staff — from the players to the cleaners — with  the   respect   they deserve.

Rooney, kept in the dark for weeks by outgoing owner Mel Morris over the club’s issues, said: “Communication is key.

“My mum is in exactly the same position. My mum is still working at the same school I went to — as a dinner lady.

There’s discussions over whether that school gets closed down. She doesn’t know whether she’ll have a job or not.

So I know how life works and the struggle many people have with bills or mortgages and putting food on the table.

I’ve gone through that first-hand as a child. I know a lot of people and family who go through it on a daily basis.

The best way to handle it is to be open and honest. If not, people will see through it.

Transparency and honesty means a lot, even if it is a tough decision that gets made and people lose their jobs..."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/16226544/wayne-rooney-Derby-mel-morris-doctor/

[Tamworthram]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

There's a piece in today's Sun where Rooney says he understands how tough things can be for the staff because his Mum is a dinner lady at the school he went to and she might be about to lose her job. #emotionalintelligence.

"The England legend is determined to treat all his Rams’ staff — from the players to the cleaners — with  the   respect   they deserve.

Rooney, kept in the dark for weeks by outgoing owner Mel Morris over the club’s issues, said: “Communication is key.

“My mum is in exactly the same position. My mum is still working at the same school I went to — as a dinner lady.

There’s discussions over whether that school gets closed down. She doesn’t know whether she’ll have a job or not.

So I know how life works and the struggle many people have with bills or mortgages and putting food on the table.

I’ve gone through that first-hand as a child. I know a lot of people and family who go through it on a daily basis.

The best way to handle it is to be open and honest. If not, people will see through it.

Transparency and honesty means a lot, even if it is a tough decision that gets made and people lose their jobs..."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/16226544/wayne-rooney-Derby-mel-morris-doctor/

Absolutely.

There will be some folk that will focus on the fact that Wayne’s mum probably won’t have the financial worries that other people face when losing their job (I can’t imagine our Wayne letting him mum get into debt or anything) but for her it may be a pride or self esteem kind of thing (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and all that).