The 23-year-old, who joined the Pilgrims as their first recruit following Rooney’s appointment as head coach, expressed his admiration for the former England captain. “He knows the pressure of what it’s like being a player and I feel like he’s creating an environment for us to make us feel as comfortable as we can,” Ogbeta said on BBC Devon. Although football is a very demanding sport, he is adept at establishing a conducive atmosphere that allows us to perform well.
I think we’re improving and expanding our knowledge on a daily basis; sure, there are areas where we can stand to improve, but we attempt to foster a culture of learning rather than settling for mediocrity. “We’re trusting the process and I feel like that’s allowing us to be free and to try things.” Wayne Rooney has managed three Championship clubs: Derby, Birmingham, and now Plymouth Argyle.
After his contract with Argyle’s Championship opponents Swansea expired, Ogbeta—a former player for Manchester City and the England junior team—moved to Home Park. After signing with the Welsh club in January 2022 from Shrewsbury Town, he played in just three games. He had previously spent the second half of the previous two seasons on loan with Bolton Wanderers and Peterborough United.
According to Ogbeta, Rooney and his staff’s training techniques were impressive. “The best players do the basics well and the gaffer always goes on about just doing the basics well, first touch and then pass, first touch and then shoot, everything’s just the basics,” according to him. The gaffer, in my opinion, exemplified the idea that “it’s all about you” and your drive to improve yourself daily.
Everyone is competing with him, wanting to be the greatest, and wanting to prove to the gaffer how good they are because he was so focused on being the best at everything he did. “You want to be in a competitive environment where you’re being challenged day by day and I feel like the gaffer’s doing an amazing job, it’s been a great start for sure.”
Before Rooney’s first game in charge of the Pilgrims, Argyle played to a 2-2 tie with Orlando Pirates of South Africa in Spain during preseason. On Saturday, they defeated Cheltenham Town of League Two, 5-1. Ogbeta adds that the ex-manager of Derby County and Birmingham City knows what it’s like to put players under mental and physical strain. “If you don’t work hard and don’t do the basics you’re not going to play,” said the coach.
But if you put in the work and do the right things, he’ll put in the work for you. That’s the kind of manager you want: someone who believes in you, who sticks by you, and who understands that mental health and other issues can be tough in football. I think it’s crucial that we have a place to go when we’re not feeling well or psychologically strong enough to perform at our best, and I think our coaches and the atmosphere they’ve created are making that possible for us. “But the gaffer understands and that’s the best thing, we have a manager that actually understands what it’s like to play at the highest level and he’s making it easier for us, which is great.”
