The former Man Utd star has been out of work since being sacked by Plymouth Argyle in December.
Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney has new job in football.
Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney has new job in football.
(Image: PA)
Nearly six months after his last managerial role, Wayne Rooney has embarked on a new venture alongside one-time England colleague Michael Dawson.
The 39-year-old Rooney has been absent from the touchline since parting ways with Plymouth Argyle by mutual agreement in late December. His departure left the Pilgrims languishing at the bottom of the Championship table, and they were subsequently relegated at the end of the season.
This marked another setback for Rooney, whose managerial career has had a rocky start. His brief tenure with the Pilgrims was preceded by mixed spells at the helm of Birmingham City, DC United and Derby County.
Now, the ex-England striker has secured a new position in Dubai, working with ex-Tottenham defender Dawson. The duo will participate in Football Escapes, a programme that offers children the opportunity to hone their skills under the supervision of UEFA-qualified coaches.
The five-day course, scheduled for October, is billed as "the ultimate family holiday and football experience." Rooney's role will involve offering daily guidance to the young participants - utilising his expertise to aid their development.
He also took part in the previous edition of the course, which was held during the February half term. This move follows Rooney's suggestion that he would take a break from management for some time, with his attention likely to remain on television punditry work.
When questioned about his future career steps after participating in Soccer Aid recently, he disclosed: "Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that's what I'm doing. I'm enjoying it. So, that's where I'll be."
Rooney has previously expressed he would consider a managerial comeback if the conditions were favourable, stating on Stick to Football: "I would like to go back in [to management], but it would have to be the right club, certainly the right club.
"I think you always have that ego, don't you? You always have that confidence you could go in and get the best out of a bad or difficult situation. Obviously, that wasn't the case [at Plymouth]. I am going to enjoy time with my family, though."
After leaving his role at Birmingham last term, Manchester United hero Rooney intrigued many by indicating his ambition to manage at two of his previous clubs.
Reflecting on his career aspirations, he mentioned on Match of the Day: "Manchester United or Everton is the aim," highlighting that "These big jobs are where you want to get to, but it's a process I have got to go through the steps and get myself back on track."
Looking ahead, Rooney added: "I want to get myself back into management to make sure in the next 10 years I'm hopefully in a position to go into one of the big jobs."
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