ROONEY BACKED IN RELEGATION BATTLE

Derby County manager Wayne Rooney has been backed for the job amidst the poor run of form in the league. Rooney, 35, was given a vote of confidence by Rob Lee, a former Derby County player.

Wayne Rooney has been exposed to football management earlier than expected after he was made the Derby County manager in the place of the sacked Philip Cocu. Dutchman Cocu was sacked towards the end of last year after guiding the club to the bottom of the English Championship table. Rooney replaced Cocu on an interim basis before his appointment was made permanent mainly due to the good results posted during the time of his interim appointment.

Ex-Derby County midfielder Rob Lee backed Wayne Rooney as the Rams manager in an exclusive interview with Football League World.According to him, the fans should not judgeRooney until he has been backed in the transfer window.

Cocu was sacked and replaced with Wayne Rooney in early November. Since his appointment, Derby County have lost half of the 34 league games under him. The record under Rooney in the English Championship reads 10 wins, 7 draws and 17 defeats. Since his appointment, Rooney has been able to lift the Rams off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone.

Derby County have won just one from the last 13 games in the league and that poor form has sucked them into the deep end of the relegation battle once again. The Rams are one place above Rotherham United who occupy the third and final spot in the relegation zone. Derby County have four points more than Rotherham United having played two games more.

Rob Lee is certain that Wayne Rooney would prove himself as a good manager once he has been backed in the transfer market this summer. Lee played 50 times for the Rams between 2002 and 2003.