Rooney’s ideal scenario for Everton job after "trust" message to Derby players

Rio Ferdinand feels Wayne Rooney would be eager to take over the reins at Everton – but preferably after he has kept Derby in the Championship.

The two shared a dressing room for a decade at Manchester United, where they won six Premier League titles and the Champions League.

They were both renowned as being two of the finest players of their generation, landing immense success under Sir Alex Ferguson.

But now the pair have hung up their boots and gone separate ways with Rooney going into coaching and Ferdinand turning to punditry.

The Derby boss has been strongly linked with a return to Everton – but this time as manager – after the dismissal of Rafa Benitez.

Roberto Martinez is being eyed for the job but the Belgian FA are reluctant to let their coach leave with the World Cup coming this year.

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is under pressure to appease the fans, and hiring a popular manager is crucial.

However, Ferdinand believes Rooney would prefer to take over at the end of the season as he would not want to leave Derby in the lurch.

“You take the job in a heartbeat (if you're Rooney),” he said on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel.

“If he could have it his way, I'm sure he'd say ‘listen, keep Big Dunc as the interim, let me keep Derby up and I'll be there in the summer’ but that's hugely unlikely.

“(Roberto) Martinez has got to relinquish going to the World Cup (with Belgium). You can see Rooney – boyhood club and Big Dunc is his mate, his idol growing up, knows the fabric of the club.”

Rooney faces an almost impossible task trying to keep the Rams from getting relegated but his efforts have not gone unnoticed after lifting them off the foot of the Championship despite a 30-point deduction.

And Ferdinand can see why after witnessing his coaching methods first-hand, detailing how he has got the players right behind him.

He said: “Yes they are a young squad, he has given out a hell of a lot of debuts but their reactions, they are transfixed.

"He spoke with such authority and a calmness, didn't waste a word.

“A lot of things he was saying was about trust – ‘I trust you, I believe in all of you’ – and you can see why they have that fight for him and that togetherness. He is instilling it with his staff.

“I saw a different Wayne Rooney to the one I grew up with and saw grow up at Man United, it was a real positive experience.

"It was the confidence and I didn't expect it from such a young coach.“

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