Wayne Rooney insists that he has no intention of walking away from his post as manager of Derby County despite the club enduring a chaotic pre-season.
Currently, the former Manchester United hero has nine senior players available to him ahead of the start of the Championship season in two weeks’ time.
To make matters worse, two of those players are goalkeepers, and one, Jason Knight, has been ruled out of action for up to 12 weeks.
The Rams are unable to make permanent signings from other clubs due to an EFL imposed transfer embargo.
They begin their 2021/22 season against Huddersfield Town, and despite the testing situation Rooney finds himself in, he has vowed not to quit his role at the club.
“It's other people which I can't control who need to make bigger decisions that I do,” Rooney told Sky Sports News after a 2-1 friendly defeat away to Salford City on Saturday.
💬 "If we can't bring players in over the next two weeks I do not know how we field a team to start the season."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 25, 2021
All I can do is try to bring some dignity and pride back to this club.
It is clear that has gone in the last few years and it is my job to bring that back. I need other people to do their job.
It's not ideal, it has been very difficult not knowing what my squad will be in two weeks' time when the league starts. However we can, we need to get that sorted.
If I am being honest, it would be easy for a manager in my situation to walk away. It's a challenge for me, I'm a fighter.
I am grateful to Derby for giving me this opportunity and I will do everything I can to get the club through this.
If we can't bring players in over the next two weeks, I do not know how we field a team to start the season.
I haven't got one centre-back signed to the club, there are two very young players in the under-23s and under-18s.
It would be impossible for me to field a team.
Rooney’s cause may be helped with a number of trialists set to join the club on free transfers, but the signs are ominous at Pride Park regardless of who joins.
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