Dressed in a grey tracksuit and baseball cap, Rooney happily posed for pictures with excited fans as he waited to collect his luggage before he and agent Paul Stretford headed to Derby. Morris believes bringing in a figure with Rooney’s stature and experience is a no-brainer. Rooney is both England and Manchester United’s all-time record scorer and one of the country’s greatest ever players. Asked if the publicity Rooney will bring to the club will be a distraction, Morris responded: "People will only be able to answer that when the deal is done. "Why wouldn’t you want a player with his background? His career has been phenomenal, he’s shown his leadership qualities in the USA and who wouldn’t want the chance to sign him? I can guarantee Cocu is as excited as I am." Recent reports have suggested Rooney’s wife, Coleen, has been eager to return to the UK from America. The couple have four children together - Kai, nine, Klay, six, Kit, three, and 17-month-old Cass. England's all-time record scorer has long had plans to return to the UK in January to pursue coaching. He said the decision was made with family in mind too. "It was one of the factors, of course," he said. "It was something we looked at. It was that, and it was obviously an opportunity to start at a big club coaching and working under Phillip Cocu as well."
Derby County's signing of Wayne Rooney in a player-coach role has been marred by criticism over him wearing number 32 because of the team's sponsorship with betting firm 32Red. Former UK Minister of Sport Richard Caborn branded the decision as "crass" and further evidence that the gambling industry is exploiting the 2005 Gambling Act in their favour. Rooney's £100,000 ($121,000) a week contract with Derby was instrumental in the club receiving the record-breaking sponsorship offer, according to its owner Mel Morris. But Caborn claims that the betting tie-in should be condemned by football authorities and the government.