When Derby County opted to hand over the reins to Wayne Rooney on a permanent basis earlier this year, it was always going to be intriguing to see whether the 36-year-old would be able to thrive in his first job as a manager.

After helping his side avoid relegation to League One last season, Rooney now faces an uphill battle to retain the club's Championship status during the current campaign.

As a result of the club's points deduction, Derby are bottom of the Championship standings and thus will need to pick up wins on a regular basis if they are to achieve survival next year.

Here, we take a look at how Rooney's spell in charge of the Rams has gone so far whilst we also assess the issues that he currently faces at the club...

How's it gone so far?

During Rooney's time in charge of Derby, he has led the club to 11 wins in 40 games in all competitions.

The Rams' displays in the Championship this season have been relatively impressive as they have only lost three games at this level.

The club's progress in the second-tier has been hindered somewhat by the fact that they have drawn eight of their 14 league games.

By turning draws into victories, Derby could potentially climb the Championship standings in the coming months.

What issues does he face?

The main issue that Rooney is currently having to deal with is the uncertainty that is surrounding the club's future.

Derby are currently in administration and have yet to find a new owner despite the fact that several parties are believed to be interested in buying the club.

If a prospective buyer is unable to complete a deal before the end of 2021. Rooney may be forced to sell some of the club's exciting young players which could have a negative impact on the club's fortunes as the Rams are currently unable to purchase individuals due to the nature of their transfer embargo.

What's next?

Rooney will be looking to guide Derby to victory in their upcoming clash with Blackburn Rovers at Pride Park.

By securing a positive result in this fixture, the Rams could potentially close the gap between them and safety depending on the outcome of results elsewhere.

When you consider that Blackburn have scored 23 goals in the Championship this season, Derby know that they will need to be at their very best to prevent Tony Mowbray's side from adding to this particular tally on Saturday.