Rooney stops playing to take Derby manager job permanently
London: All-time record scorer for England and Manchester United. A haul of 16 trophies. Wayne Rooney's illustrious playing career is over.
The former England and United captain has decided it's time to focus on trying to replicate his successes as a striker in management.
After taking temporary charge of Derby in November as a player-coach the 35-year-old Rooney has accepted the manager's job on a permanent basis with the second division club through 2023.
"It's a great feeling to go into management full-time," Rooney said on Friday.
"It's something that I've been preparing for, working for for a few years now. Obviously had a taste of it over the last couple of months and I've enjoyed it."
Rooney has enjoyed three victories and four draws in his nine games at the helm of Derby, which remains in the relegation zone.
It's been 13 years since Derby played in the Premier League a competition Rooney won five times after joining United from Everton at age 18 along with tasting glory in the Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup and Community Shield.
"I've had a great career, I've enjoyed every minute," Rooney said. Some ups, some downs, I wouldn't change anything I've done in my career as a player."
It was often a tempestuous playing career, with the fiery Rooney embroiled in controversies in his private life and hot-headedness in games.
It is experience he will be able to draw on while nurturing future talents.
At United, Rooney worked under the greatest British manager of all-time in Alex Ferguson. With England, he witnessed more of the instabilities of coaching as a talented group of players never came close to winning a trophy.
"Hopefully I can now start to write some history and have a successful managerial career," Rooney said.
Rooney, just like at United with his 253 goals, overtook 1966 World Cup winner Bobby Charlton as England's record scorer by netting 53 times in 120 appearances the last in 2018 at Wembley Stadium against the United States.
"He did it all," former United and England teammate Rio Ferdinand said. "He scored a ridiculous amount of goals, scored absolute bangers from anywhere on the pitch, great passer, aggressive, passion, desire, work rate, team player, sacrificed part of his game for others.
"He had the lot and he won loads. What a player. Now that he has retired people will start appreciating him for who he is and what he was as a player because I don't think he gets the respect he deserves."
Rooney returned to England after a stint at DC United to last January, and joined Derby as a player-coach.
"Despite other offers I knew instinctively Derby County was the place for me," Rooney said. "I can promise everyone involved in the club and all our fans, my staff and I will leave no stone unturned in achieving the potential I have witnessed over the last 12 months of this historic football club."
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Prominent temples in UP closed during lunar eclipse
Lucknow (PTI): Prominent temples across Uttar Pradesh, including the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and the Vindhyavasini temple in Mirzapur, were closed on Tuesday in view of the lunar eclipse and will reopen in the evening after rituals.
According to Kashi Vishwanath temple authorities, the lunar eclipse will be visible in India and observed between 3.27 pm and 6.47 pm.
In keeping with religious scriptures, temples will observe ‘Sutak Kaal’, the inauspicious period preceding and during the eclipse, during which regular rituals and darshan are restricted.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust in Varanasi said that as per tradition, the temple gates are closed before the commencement of the eclipse. Following this custom, the temple doors were shut at 4.30 am.
After the conclusion of the eclipse, rituals related to ‘moksha’ (conclusion of the eclipse) would be performed in accordance with scriptures, followed by purification ceremonies.
The temple was scheduled to reopen for devotees after 7.15 pm.
In Ayodhya, the Ram Temple was closed from 9 am onwards due to the Sutak Kaal hours prior to the eclipse.
Temple sources said the Mangala Aarti at 4.30 am and the Shringar Aarti at 6.30 am were conducted as per schedule.
‘Bal Bhog’ was offered to Ram Lalla at 8.15 am. After the Shringar Aarti, darshan was allowed from 6.30 am to 9 am. The temple doors were then closed and were to reopen after evening aarti, with darshan available from 8.30 pm to 11 pm, Ram temple trust officials said.
In Mathura and Vrindavan, most temples closed early for morning darshan and were scheduled to reopen after the eclipse ended around 7 pm.
However, the historic Dwarkadhish Temple followed its regular schedule and remained open during the eclipse.
Rakesh Tiwari, media in-charge of the temple, said that in the Pushtimarg tradition, Lord Krishna is worshipped in his child form and devotees believe they must remain with the deity during difficult times.
The Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan opened early at 5.15 am and closed at 8.30 am.
According to a press release issued by the temple’s high-powered committee, it was scheduled to reopen for evening darshan at 7 pm and close at 10 pm.
At the Shri Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura, the temple opened at 5 am for Mangala Aarti and closed at 6 am for darshan.
Kapil Sharma, secretary of the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, said the temple would reopen for evening darshan at 8 pm and close at 9 pm.
The Radha Rani Temple in Barsana was also scheduled to reopen at 7 pm for evening darshan and close at 9 pm, Madhav Krishna Goswami, sewayat of the temple, said.
In Mirzapur, the Vindhyavasini Temple remained closed in the morning in view of the eclipse.
Bhanu Pathak of the Vindhya Panda Samaj, said the temple doors were shut from 3.15 pm to 8 pm during the Sutak and eclipse period.
After completion of rituals and aarti, devotees will be allowed to offer prayers.
Temple authorities across the state appealed to devotees to adhere to the revised schedules and cooperate with the arrangements made in view of the eclipse.
