Macclesfield’s John Rooney: ‘i’d Be Stupid To Act Like Robbie Savage, I’d Be Being False’

Macclesfield FC person grown accustomed to being nan astir celebrated squad pinch nan astir celebrated names successful their league. In a erstwhile life, nan nine listed Sammy McIlroy, Paul Ince and Sol Campbell arsenic erstwhile managers. Since their rebirth successful 2020, nan erstwhile Premier League players Neil Danns, Alex Bruce and, astir notably, Robbie Savage, person enjoyed spells successful nan basking seat.

John Rooney’s surname is improbable to spell unnoticed, yet nan younger relative of nan England and Manchester United fable Wayne is, by his ain admission, a acold little glitzy assignment than his predecessor Savage, whose effervescent characteristic came to specify Macclesfield successful caller years.

A self-styled Marmite man, Savage enjoyed unparalleled occurrence successful his season-long stint astatine Macclesfield, winning nan Northern Premier League pinch a mammoth 109 points. His departure to Forest Green earlier this summertime near a void, pinch cardinal players specified arsenic Laurent Mendy, Tre Pemberton and Neil Kengni pursuing him to Gloucestershire.

Pictures of Savage still adorn nan walls down Rooney arsenic we chat successful nan boardroom of nan Leasing.com Stadium, days retired from Macclesfield’s opening crippled of nan caller National League North run against Worksop Town. “I’ll beryllium different to Sav,” says Rooney, an attacking midfielder who rejoined Macclesfield arsenic a subordinate successful August 2023 pursuing stints astatine nan likes of New York Red Bulls, Orlando City, Barrow and Oldham earlier announcing his status astatine nan extremity of past season. “He has ever been retired location arsenic a subordinate and a pundit. He likes attraction – not successful a bad sense. I’ll spell nether nan radar and beryllium my ain person. I’d beryllium stupid to enactment for illustration Sav, because I’m a different personification and I’d beryllium being false.”

There’s nary uncertainty Savage’s exit has been seismic, but it took conscionable days for Macclesfield to switch him pinch Rooney. Plans had already been successful spot for nan 34-year-old to return up a coaching domiciled if ever a vacancy arose. “It happened truthful speedy pinch Sav going, truthful we didn’t person clip to beryllium backmost and deliberation astir it,” Rooney says. “Rob [Smethurst, nan club’s owner] told maine connected nan Monday and we were training connected nan Tuesday.”

Rooney had small hesitation accepting nan domiciled and location was moreover a connection of proposal from his brother, whose ain tumultuous managerial travel successful nan past fewer years whitethorn supply a instruction for John. “When I sewage nan job, [Wayne] said: ‘Just effort and bask it’. Obviously he went into guidance and did good astatine immoderate places, not truthful good astatine different places. And listen, that’s football. It’s portion of management. you’re not going to get your ain measurement each nan time.”

“When do these opportunities travel up to beryllium a head of a nine for illustration this? Not often,” Rooney adds. “It mightiness not travel again. So erstwhile I sewage upwind of it, I wanted to return it pinch some hands. You could beryllium falling retired of nan crippled arsenic a player, past you’re scratching astir to travel backmost successful arsenic a coach. I said astir it past twelvemonth pinch Sav, that if he ever left, would I beryllium interested? I ever said I’d want to propulsion myself correct astatine it.”

Robbie Savage guided Macclesfield to promotion to nan National League North. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

Rooney, whose playing days began successful nan Everton academy for illustration his brother, made his master debut pinch Macclesfield successful 2008. He’s now a novice head but pinch acquisition by his broadside to telephone upon. Macclesfield person conscionable appointed Francis Jeffers, different ex-Everton player, arsenic Rooney’s assistant. “I’ve known Franny for a agelong time. I played nether him arsenic a coach astatine Oldham. He’s coached astatine Ipswich, retired successful Saudi. I wanted personification older than maine who would situation me, not conscionable work together pinch everything I say. I’d beryllium naive otherwise.” Rooney laughs disconnected nan thought of offering a occupation to a definite different erstwhile Everton striker. He’s keen to beryllium his ain man.

It’s put to Rooney that he is still registered arsenic a subordinate for nan coming season, truthful could reflector nan player-manager domiciled successful which Wayne thrived astatine Derby County early successful his ain managerial career. “Touch wood I’m not needed,” he replies. “It’s been a beautiful soft modulation to managing. It’s now my 3rd spell here; 2 arsenic a subordinate and now arsenic manager. Everyone knows what this nine intends to me. I started here, they gave maine my chance successful master shot and I’ll ne'er hide that.”

Rooney takes nan reins astatine an intriguing shape successful nan Silkmen’s journey. They person blazed a way done nan divisions, pinch 3 promotions successful 4 years, and now look their astir challenging task successful nan National League North. “It’s going to beryllium a batch tougher than past year,” admits Rooney, pinch a motion to nan chap phoenix clubs Hereford, Chester and Darlington who are connected this season’s fixture list. “Come December, January, distant from home, nan pitches won’t beryllium great, it’s astir being adaptable.

“Last twelvemonth we sewage connected that winning streak and winning is simply a habit. We request to rotation that connected to this season. There are immoderate large teams successful this league, 5 aliases six clubs that are afloat clip and that’s our extremity arsenic well, we want to get to nan full-time stage.”

Will Macclesfield deed a solid ceiling astatine immoderate constituent soon? Rooney will not countenance nan idea. “We want to decorativeness arsenic precocious arsenic possible. Our scheme is to transportation on.”