The best Englishman at Euro 2024 left Germany this week… and it wasn’t Phil Foden

Rooney’s straight-forward punditry has been refreshing
(Image credit: Future)

Wayne Rooney has several tattoos. On a recent podcast appearance he admitted to his former England and Manchester United team-mate, Gary Neville, that if he had his time again he wouldn’t bother getting any at all.

One of the first he ever had inked was the title of a Stereophonics album: Just Enough Education to Perform. It’s self-deprecating but tells us something about Rooney. He has self-awareness. He knows who he is, where he comes from, what he’s done and where he’s going.

Plymouth, is the answer to the latter question. Rooney this week said early goodbyes to Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and the rest of the crew working for the BBC in Germany during the Euros as he has taken his fourth management job. He signed a three-year contract with Championship side Plymouth Argyle and their pre-season starts on 3 July, and Wayne wants to be ready.

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A former goalkeeper, Ketch joined FourFourTwo as Deputy Editor in 2022 having worked across ChronicleLive, LeedsLive, Hull Daily Mail, YorkshireLive, Teesside Gazette and the Huddersfield Examiner as a Northern Football Editor. Prior to that he was the Senior Writer at BBC Match of the Day magazine. He has interviewed the likes of Harry Kane, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gareth Southgate and attended two World Cup finals and two Champions League finals. He has been a Newcastle United season ticket holder since 2000 and has a deep knowledge on the history and culture of football shirts.