Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan has joined Wayne Rooney’s coaching staff at Plymouth Argyle.
Phelan, 62, replaces Pete Shuttleworth as Rooney’s assistant coach. Plymouth confirmed Shuttleworth had departed by mutual consent for personal reasons.
Phelan has signed a contract until the end of the season and reunites with Rooney, who he coached at United during his first spell at the club between 2008 and 2013.
“I am sad to see Pete leave the club,” Rooney said. “He is someone I have worked with very closely throughout my managerial career having first met at Derby County and he has also been a close friend.
“Pete has some personal matters going on which is where his focus needs to be and we all completely respect that and have mutually decided to part ways.
“Mike is someone I know well having worked with him when I was a player at Manchester United and he has vast experience at the highest level of football.
“I am really pleased to bring him to Argyle and look forward to seeing him get to work immediately.”
I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be #ReUnited with @WayneRooney at @Argyle
👊 Looking forward to to this new challenge. pic.twitter.com/Ckp28ArP0r
— Mike Phelan (@Mike_Phelan_1) December 8, 2024
Rooney has been at Plymouth since May and has overseen four wins from their opening 18 Championship matches this season.
That form has seen Plymouth around the relegation zone but earlier this week, chairman Simon Hallett has insisted there are “no conversations going on” about replacing Rooney.
“We are thinking about how we can support him,” Hallett added. “So there are no conversations going on about replacing Wayne but there are conversations going on about how we can support him to help him become the great coach that we think is in there.”
Plymouth’s home game against Oxford United was postponed due to Storm Darragh on Saturday, with Rooney’s side next in action on Tuesday when they host Swansea City.
(Michael Regan/Getty Images)
