Football: Rooney playing his final game?

Wayne Rooney has confirmed on Friday that he is ready to retire as a player if installed as Derby's full-time manager by the club's prospective new owners. Rooney will take sole charge of the club for Saturday's home game against Wycombe having been part of an interim coaching quartet alongside Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker since Phillip Cocu was sacked earlier this month. A consortium headed by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan is expected to complete its takeover of the club in the next few days. When asked if he was ready to hang up his boots, Rooney said: "If I'm managing the team on a longer scale, I don't think it's possible to manage and play, so of course that is a possibility."