Former England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has been appointed as the new manager of Championship side Plymouth Argyle. This marks Rooney’s fourth managerial role, following a series of coaching positions that have not yet matched his illustrious playing career.

“Taking this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career,” Rooney said in a statement released by the club. “This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football – and to entertain the Green Army.”

Rooney, 38, was sacked earlier this year after just 83 days in charge of Birmingham, where he won only two of his 15 matches, leading to their relegation to League One. He also had a brief stint with former club DC United in Major League Soccer. However, he showed promise during his first managerial job at Derby County, despite the club entering administration.

“Throughout the interview process, Wayne showed himself to be a passionate, intelligent, and knowledgeable candidate with an appetite to prove himself and develop his managerial career,” said Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett. “His ambitions and aims match ours perfectly and we feel he is the perfect candidate to provide the exciting and attacking brand of football that we all like to see and help us achieve the club’s mission.”

Plymouth narrowly avoided relegation in their first season back in English football’s second tier for 14 years, finishing 21st in the Championship. Rooney’s appointment is seen as a step towards revitalizing the team and ensuring their stability in the league.