Discovery+ and Quest pundit Ian Holloway has paid tribute to Derby County manager Wayne Rooney for the way he has dealt with the situation the Rams find themselves in.

Rooney is still in his first job in management, having been handed the full time role as the club's manager back in January 2021, when he called time on an illustrious playing career.

Having ensured the Rams narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship on the final day of last season, Rooney is now facing another major test of his managerial credentials this time around.

After Derby announced they had entered administration last month, the club were automatically handed a 12-point deduction that plunged them to the bottom of the second-tier standings.

There is also the prospect of a second points penalty being imposed against the club, which would be another huge blow to Derby's hopes of surviving in the Championship this season.

Transfer restrictions placed on the club meanwhile, mean that Derby have started the season with a somewhat threadbare squad.

Despite that, Rooney has still guided Derby to a respectable return of three wins and five draws from their 11 league games so far this season.

The 35-year-old has also insisted that he will not walk away from Pride Park, despite the perilous situation that Derby find themselves in.

Now it seems that Holloway has been left highly impressed by the way Manchester United and England's record goalscorer has handled the difficult situation he finds himself in.

Speaking about how the Derby manager has approached the task he is facing at Derby, Holloway exclusively told Football League World: "What pleased me was Wayne Rooney nailing his colours to the mast. I thought that was fantastic. Let's face it, he could easily have flown out and gone 'oh I'm going'.

"But he didn't. He wants to stay, he wants to work at it, he wants to get the squad to work as hard as he can, and for me, that's fantastic news.

"I'd love for him to be a success. He's played for England and Manchester United and Everton  as he did, so young with all that pressure, and he just handled it, whatever he did.

"So I'd love him to be successful as a manager, and boy oh boy is he having a test, is he having to face this head on?!

"So well done young man, good luck to you!"

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