Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney made fun of Gary Neville when he addressed the media for the first time as Plymouth manager.

The newly appointed Plymouth manager joked he didn't want to be the "next Gary Neville" after his former team-mate failed miserably in his previous role as Valencia manager.

Neville endured a dismal three-month spell at Valencia when he took charge of 28 matches, winning 10, drawing seven and losing 11. Valencia also scored 39 goals and conceded 38 in that spell.

Rooney, who is now into his fourth job since hanging up his boots, took questions from the media for the first time since becoming Plymouth manager when he made a joke at Neville's expense.

When asked why he was returning to management, Rooney said, as quoted by The Mirror: "Because I don't want to be the next Gary Neville!

"I have a desire, a passion with football and a love for football and I've always had that. The last few months have been very strange for me. Since January it's been a real strange time being at home. I've done bits of TV work, but my real dwsire is to get back into management."

"I don't want to become the next Gary Neville!"

Wayne Rooney aims a cheeky joke at ex team-mate pic.twitter.com/sfUnReT0gr

- Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 4, 2024

Footage courtesy of Sky Sports

Rooney was asked about his job at Plymouth and the season ahead when he added: "We need to be clever in how we work. I'm not going to come out and say we're going to be looking to get to the Premier League in a year's time, we need to be realistic. What we're trying to do is build on what the club has done over the last few years, which has been rising and getting better.

"I think we need to keep moving forward and keep trying to improve and certainly improve on last season. Hopefully at the end of the timeframe which we have in, we can get closer to that Premier League."

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