Curtis Davies has backed his Derby County teammate Wayne Rooney to succeed as a manager following his playing career.

Rooney confirmed his Pride Park move last summer, and made his first appearances as the club's new player-coach shortly after New Year. He's since become a hit with the fans, scoring three in the Championship and reigniting Derby's top-half hopes.

The move is with a view to the ex-Manchester United man taking more and more of a coaching role over time, and speaking to TalkSport, Davies believes Rooney can emulate the successes of his playing career on the sidelines:

"He’s definitely got the way about him. I’ve not been in any sessions with him to know what his coaching is like but I know good managers can also be good coaches."

Rooney has been on the professional footballing scene for 18 years - over half of his life - but shows no signs that he's nearing the end of his playing days.

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His role is obviously different to when he was a sprightly young teenager but still, England's all-time top-scorer is wowing fans in the Championship, and could yet be the man to fire Derby back into the top-flight.

“I can see it in him," continued Davies. "Obviously he’s got a wealth of experience and played at the very top level, captained England, captained Manchester United - he can command the respect of any player, which is what you need as a manager when you are starting out.”

Derby with their appointment of Frank Lampard last season, and subsequent signing of Rooney with a view to a backroom role have shown their willingness to gamble on start-out managers.

The Lampard risk very nearly paid off, and who's to say that Rooney won't match, or even better Lampard's stint at Pride Park one day?

The verdict

Rooney now has a future plan set in place, and Derby is good place to have it. A team with aspirations who'll eventually give someone like Rooney a more important seat in the dugout, but the 34-year-old still looks to have some good playing time left in him yet.