EXCLUSIVE
‘He needs to grow up’ – Simon Jordan reveals he ignored Wayne Rooney’s call after criticism
Simon Jordan says Wayne Rooney needs to grow up having ignored the Manchester United legend's call following his criticism.
Rooney parted ways with Derby after they suffered relegation to League One at the end of the 2022-23 season.
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The Rams were deducted 21 points for historical financial mismanagement, which ultimately cost them their place in the Championship.
Jordan previously lambasted the former England international after his departure, insisting it would be difficult for him to get another top job.
Rooney, now in charge of MLS side DC United, has been linked with a return to England, taking over from John Eustace at Birmingham.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan couldn't help but offer a brutal takedown of the Liverpudlian.
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"He let himself down, his behaviour at Derby, it is no good falling asleep in a hotel room, drunk, with some random person in the room with you, is it?" he said on White and Jordan.
"That is not the example of a manager. He is still very young, I mean I am not suggesting he is not old enough to know the difference.
"He is still 37. If you look at his body of work, it is unimpressive.
"I know the Derby situation, they will say people held it together, and ultimately, he worked in very difficult conditions, and I get that.
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"Go and look at his record at DC [United], I mean, what are you going to do with a 27 per cent win record?
"Where is that going to get you? I tell you where it will get you, relegated in whatever division you're in.
talkSPORT co-host White revealed he copped for Jordan's comments from Rooney when watching Derby, the former Crystal Palace owner once labelling Rooney 'a fool'.
"He should grow up then," Jordan replied.
"The problem is too many people in society can take praise, but they can't take criticism.
"If criticism borders upon abuse and it is unfair and un constructive, by all means get thick skinned about it, like bleeding silly boxers.
"But if it is a fair observation, the observations I made on Rooney was fair based on his behaviour.
"They [DC United] finished second from bottom in the league last year, all be it he came in very late.
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"They are okay, they are mid to lower parts of the table now, they have a 27 per cent win record.
"I am sorry, there may be lots of reasons behind that, such as they don't have a particularly big budget, or their playing squad is not as good as everyone else's in the division, but it is hardly stellar.
"I am not making this up, or saying Wayne Rooney is a dreadful person, I am simply saying if you look at his record in isolation, you take Rooney out of the equation, and put another manager in and put him second from bottom last year.
"Mid to lower this year and has a 27 per cent win record, I know, he is the antidote for our problems. They would say no.
"The reason they would say yes is because it is Wayne Rooney. He should be separated from Wayne Rooney the player, to Wayne Rooney the manager.
"He is growing up, learning his trade, and the last time we saw him he was in court with that dreadful ghastly Wagatha Christie nonsense with his wife, looking like he could barely squeeze into his suit."
As mentioned, Birmingham's owners are targeting Rooney as a replacement for Eustace, and could soon be in contact with the DC United boss.
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"I am sure John Eustace is thrilled with this index, maybe for autograph hunting," Jordan added.
"Make a case for it, Wayne Rooney played at the highest level, came back to England after being in America for a period of time, did not do much for Derby as a footballer because he had run his course.
"Got a job in the dugout because the thing was falling apart, held it together by the skin of his teeth.
"On one hand you'll say that is nothing to do with me, except when it suits me. What goes on in the boardroom, has very little effect on the training ground.
"Unless the players or manager want to use it. Now, I understand the Derby situation if players were taken out and they only had the bare bones of a squad.
"The latitude that he was given at Derby to begin with, I think it served him in good stead, and let's transfer that over, and for the purpose of this conversation he did alright in difficult circumstances.
"I would say this is what you have to do at times, if ultimately staying in the league was the responsibility that he had.
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"But they didn't, they got relegated, and the first season he had there, they barely, barely stayed in.
"I admired him for turning down the Everton approach, and then found later on he only wanted assurances he was going to get the job, rather than the interview.
"So my admiration diminished a little bit, but now we are in a situation where judging by him in America, what about a 27 per cent win record, tell you that translates? Besides it is Wayne Rooney.
"Now he might interview very well, he may well have formulated the ability to be able to string a sentence together, and that will be interesting - and if he has done, great!
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"You [Jim] got him [Rooney] to phone me, and I was busy so did not take his call, because I did not want to listen to his whining about my observations.
"I missed his call, and called him back and he never answered, did not answer the call."
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