Wayne Rooney is latest Ferguson player from Man Utd to take crack at management after long list of failures

IT's official.

Wayne Rooney has called time on his playing career to become Derby County manager.

The England legend was acting interim boss since November, recording three wins from his nine games, before the Rams decided to appoint the 35-year-old on a full-time basis.

So now Rooney will follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Sir Alex Ferguson into management.

But who else who's played under Fergie has become a coach – and how have they fared? Here's 10 that spring to mind.

BRYAN ROBSON

In 1994, Captain Fantastic became player manager at Middlesbrough.

Three years later he called time on his playing career to concentrate on the job in hand.

He led the club to promotion in 1995 to the Premier League, and then led a revolution by bringing in star names such as Fabrizio Ravanelli.

However, the closest he got to silverware was losing two cup finals (to Leicester in the Coca-Cola Cup and Chelsea in the FA Cup).

After he was sacked in 2001, Robbo had spells at Bradford City, West Brom, Sheffield United and even Thailand – but all ended in failure.

He's not managed since 2011.

STEVE BRUCE

Somewhat of a journeyman manager, Bruce had all the potential to be a top class manager after captaining United to success.

Incredibly, since 1998 the former Red Devils centre half has been appointed a manager 11 times (twice at Wigan Athletic).

His longest tenure was with Birmingham City, who he helped get promoted in 2007.

Bruce reported that trick with Hull City in 2013 – a year later walking The Tigers out at Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup final, which ended in defeat to Arsenal.

Currently at Newcastle, Bruce is under fire with the Magpies struggling for form in the Premier League.

ROY KEANE

While he's taken to punditry like a duck to water, Keane didn't set the managerial world alight.

Things initially started well at Sunderland – earning the club promotion from the Championship in 2007.

The following season, he suffered "one of the lowest points" of his carer when his side were battered 7-1 by Everton at Goodison Park.

After a poor start to the 2018-19 season, Keane reportedly stood down with Sunderland in the relegation places citing his differences with former shareholder Ellis Short and ex-chairman Niall Quinn

Keane also managed Ipswich Town, but a mixed bag of results saw him dismissed in 2011.

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER

The baby-faced assassin won two league titles in his homeland with Molde from 2011-14.

But he struggled as a manager initially on our shores with Cardiff City, who appointed him in 2014.

The Bluebirds were relegated after finishing bottom of the Premier League – and nine months after his appointment Solskjaer was sacked.

Despite calls for his head on several occasions, Solskjaer has led Manchester United to the top of the Premier League after taking over in 2018.

MARK HUGHES

Hughes' first foray into management was with the Welsh national team from 1999-2004, but was a whisker away from qualifying for Euro 2004 after losing to Russia in the playoffs.

He then impressed at Blackburn, helping the club stay up and leading them to the FA Cup semis.

The following season, the club finished in the top sixth and Hughes had built a reputation as a tough-talking manager who encouraged physicality from his team.

In 2008 he scored a dream job as Manchester City boss, but was fired a year later.

A short spell at Fulham followed, then a disappointing run of results at QPR.

Hughes had five years at Stoke, before he was fired in 2018 – which was the same year he lost his job at Southampton after just 27 games.

PAUL INCE

The Guv'nor showed managerial promise at MK Dons in 2007-08, where his side won the Football League trophy – defeating Grimsby 2-0.

He then got the club promoted to League One as champions, which saw Blackburn Rovers make Ince the first black British manager in the top flight that summer.

But after winning just three times in 17 games he was sacked before Christmas.

He returned to MK Dons, where he couldn't repeat the magic of before, flopped at Notts County losing nine games in a row and was sacked as manager of Blackpool after just one season in 2014.

GARY NEVILLE

One taste of management for Gary Neville was enough for him to commit to punditry to Sky Sports.

The ex-England international was appointed head coach at Valencia in 2015 – with brother Phil as his assistant.

But Valencia failed to qualify for the second stage of the Champions League, lost 7-0 to Barcelona and went on a nine-game winless run.

In a Europa League tie against Athletic Bilbao, Neville was sent of for protesting an opposition goal as his side crashed out of the competition on away goals.

Neville was sacked after just 16 league games – winning just three – with the club languishing in 14th spot.

PHIL NEVILLE

A caretaker role at Salford City gave Phil a taste of management in 2015.

But it's in women's football where he has cut his teeth so far in the coaching game.

Neville will walk away from his job as boss of England women's national team in 2021, when his contract expires.

The decision was made last summer, after the England team lost seven times in 11 games – their worst sequence since 2003.

As Euro 2021 was pushed back to 2022, Neville will no longer lead his country out for that tournament.

RYAN GIGGS

In 2014, Giggs was appointed interim player-manager following the dismissal of David Moyes.

He had four games at the end of the season, winning two, drawing one and losing once before Louis Van Gaal took over and Giggs was demoted to assistant.

In 2018, he took over the Wales job from Chris Coleman and led his country to qualify for Euro 2020.

Wales then secured promotion into UEFA Nations League A after winning Group 4 of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B season.

However, it was assistant Rob Page took control for the final two group games as Giggs was asked to stay away following his arrest for assaulting ex-girlfriend Kate Greville.

LAURENT BLANC

In terms of management success, no one who has played under Sir Alex has won more trophies than Laurent Blanc.

The World Cup-winner won the French double with Bordeaux in 2009, then three championships in a row with PSG from 2013-16, that included two doubles.

In between those spells, Blanc had a stint as France boss – stepping down after two years following a 2-0 loss to Spain at Euro 2012 in the quarter-finals.

After years in the management wilderness Blanc was appointed as the head coach of Qatari club Al-Rayyan last month.

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