Wayne Rooney Departs DC United as MLS Playoff Hopes Vanish

Wayne Rooney, the former English forward, had been at the helm of the Washington club since last summer. However, his tenure came to a close following their 2-0 victory over New York City FC on Sunday.

Jason Levien, the club's CEO and co-chairman, communicated through dcunited.com, stating, "We have had discussions with Wayne and mutually decided that it is in our best interest to part ways at this juncture. This decision paves the way for our incoming general manager to have the complete freedom to introduce a fresh philosophy and framework to our sporting operations. This journey begins with the pivotal task of identifying a head coach whose vision aligns with this new direction."

Rooney, who initially joined MLS in 2018 and spent 15 months in Washington as a player, returned last summer after embarking on his managerial career with Derby County. Despite the 37-year-old's efforts to boost DC United's points tally, he is now headed back to England.

"It's simply the right time," expressed Rooney in comments reported by the Washington Post. "I believe I've given my all to try and steer the club towards the playoffs. It's not a singular event that triggered this decision; it's about the timing in your career. I've genuinely relished my time here. However, I feel it's the appropriate moment to return to England. As for what the future holds, I'm uncertain."

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