Wayne Rooney has expressed his openness to the idea of serving as the assistant manager under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. This revelation comes in the wake of John Eustance’s departure from Birmingham City, which left the team in a relegation battle after Rooney took charge.

Currently without a managerial position, Rooney admitted on The Overlap’s Stick To Football podcast that if given the chance to work alongside Guardiola, he would embrace the opportunity. In his own words, “It depends [on if I would ever be an assistant manager]. If Pep Guardiola comes in and asks me to be his assistant, you’d walk there.” Rooney acknowledged the influence of managers like Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, suggesting that learning from their approaches could contribute to his own development as a manager.

Rooney’s potential collaboration with Guardiola, a controversial prospect considering his legendary status at Manchester United, where he is often hailed as one of the club’s greatest-ever players, reflects his eagerness to refine his managerial skills. Despite the historic rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City, Rooney’s acknowledgment of Guardiola’s managerial prowess underscores the profound impact the latter has in the world of football management.

Wayne Rooney has disclosed that during Louis van Gaal’s tenure at Manchester United, the Dutch manager encouraged him to play in a manner reminiscent of Erling Haaland, even though Haaland was not yet a professional footballer at that time. Van Gaal’s strategic vision for Rooney involved greater involvement in build-up play, a concept Rooney discussed on The Overlap’s Stick To Football podcast.

Reflecting on his time at Old Trafford, Rooney expressed his desire to always be actively engaged in the game, even if it meant sacrificing more goal-scoring opportunities. Van Gaal, upon his arrival at Manchester United, emphasized a tactical shift for Rooney, wanting the center-forward to have 15 or 20 touches per game, similar to how Erling Haaland operates.

During Manchester City’s recent 1-0 victory against Brentford, Haaland had just 32 touches of the ball, as reported by Sofascore. Despite limited involvement, Haaland’s decisive touch resulted in the winning goal, highlighting the striker’s impact on the game.

In the podcast discussion, Jamie Carragher drew parallels between Van Gaal’s vision and Haaland’s playing style, to which Rooney concurred, noting that Haaland indeed operates with fewer touches, creating unpredictability for defenders. Rooney acknowledged the potential psychological impact on defenders, who may feel a false sense of security or heightened anxiety, knowing that Haaland could score at any moment.

Van Gaal’s strategic insight, urging Rooney to emulate Haaland’s playing style, aligns with the idea that a striker with minimal touches can significantly influence defenders’ mindset. The unpredictability and goal-scoring threat associated with players like Haaland create challenges for opposing defenses and open up opportunities for teammates to exploit.

Certainly, Zinchenko had the opportunity to both play alongside and train with the esteemed Spanish midfielder at the Etihad Stadium. The current Arsenal defender asserted in August of the previous year that David Silva, the retired maestro, stood out as the best player he had ever shared the field with. The Ukrainian player acknowledged feeling “fortunate” to have experienced playing with someone of David Silva’s caliber, emphasizing the midfielder’s exceptional ability to comprehend the game at an elevated level.

Zinchenko and Silva, as teammates, clinched the Premier League titles for the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons, along with the FA Cup and two Carabao Cup triumphs. Given his role as a left-back, the 27-year-old had the unique opportunity to be on the same side as the World Cup winner, who was strategically positioned as a left-sided midfielder by manager Pep Guardiola. When asked about his Premier League dream teammate, Vitaliy Mykolenko disclosed that Zinchenko consistently praised David Silva, describing him as the smartest and most technically adept player. “Second one, David Silva. [Oleksandr] Zinchenko said about him he’s the smartest player. Technical, smart,” Mykolenko shared in an interview with Sky Sports.

Leighton Baines, a legendary figure at Goodison Park, was the first choice of the Everton defender when asked about his preferred Premier League icon. In December, Unai Emery expressed his desire to have David Silva on his current Aston Villa team when given the opportunity to select any player from past Premier League icons. It comes as no surprise that David Silva has left a lasting impact on teammates, players, and managers throughout the football community. His prowess on the field was not only mesmerizing for spectators but also appeared to be a valuable lesson in football every time he graced the pitch, particularly during his stints with Manchester City and Valencia.