“I’m disappointed, angry and surprised but It’s the first game of the season so it’s not a time to panic”- Wayne Rooney sends message to Plymouth fans after 4-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in his first match in charge

Eyebrows were raised when the greatest English player of his generation pitched up in deepest, darkest Devon on May 25 but no one could have expected a start as bad as this.

There was an awful start to life as Plymouth Argyle boss for Wayne Rooney on Sunday
The Pilgrims were thrashed 4-0 by Sheffield Wednesday in their first match under Rooney

Rooney’s men — two of whom, Adam Forshaw and Ibrahim Cissoko, had been given jerseys with their names misspelt — were outplayed by an Owls side who, like Plymouth, only secured their Championship status on the final day of last season.

He struggled badly, though, to get a tune out of his troops at Birmingham and Plymouth looked like no-hopers for much of this game and the Liverpudlian was forced to concede: ‘Today wasn’t good enough — I think that’s clear — and I’m disappointed, angry and surprised.

‘From everything we’ve seen in pre-season I was surprised, but the basics of the game were not good enough, whether that’s getting to the ball, tackling or being aggressive.

‘We knew last season Sheffield Wednesday were one of the best teams in the league for crosses and cutbacks — and all four of their goals came that way.

‘We had a gameplan and we just didn’t execute it at all, so it’s a wake-up call for us all.’

Rooney admitted Plymouth’s performance ‘wasn’t good enough’ but remains encouraged
Just as he had been at Elland Road on New Year’s Day, Rooney was predictably subjected to vicious taunts from the home supporters.

When Rooney headed towards the away end at the end of the game, Wednesday counterpart Danny Rohl’s name was belted out loud and clear by the jubilant home fans. The Owls, it would seem, are on the up but Rooney played down the significance of the result.

He added: ‘It’s the first game of the season, and I’ve seen the work we’ve done in pre-season which gives me encouragement, so it’s not a time to panic.’