Fan Focus: Plymouth fan Sam discusses Wayne Rooney, Miron Muslic & losing Morgan Whittaker!

01/25/2025 04:47 AM

Ahead of Sunderland's match today, we spoke to Plymouth fan Sam of Argyle Life, to find out more about Wayne Rooney's sacking, the sale of Morgan Whittaker and more!

Despite being one of few managers to defeat Sunderland this season, Wayne Rooney was sacked as Plymouth boss in December - what were the key reasons behind this?

Despite the relatively impressive display and win against Sunderland, Rooney only won four league games in his entire tenure. In short, you were unlucky to face us during the only spell in the season in which we looked semi-competent.

Before that first international break, we looked hapless and after the second break we looked even worse. We've conceded the most goals in the league and we can't score either.

Rooney is like me as a kid every time I got the new FM game: desperate to be good at it but just not up to any reasonable level. Surely he can't manage again?

His replacement Miron Muslic went viral on social media for his inspiring opening speech. What has he changed and how have things been on the pitch?

Muslic can certainly walk the walk but it remains to be seen if he can talk the talk. The speech was certainly inspiring but the players don't seem so far to be buying into what he's doing.

My feeling is he's tried to change too much too soon. A squad that's (for all Rooney's flaws) better set up for a possession-based, four at the back system is being asked to play 3-4-3 and long ball. Obviously it's very early but the indications aren't amazing so far.

That said he has a truly dismal squad to work with so he will get a fair chance to turn it around.

Away from home, I'm struggling for the appropriate words to describe Plymouth's record - why are your home and away records so conflicting?

In fairness, the contrast is decreasing. We drew our last away game in the league and lost two in a row at home!

I jest. The away form has been nothing short of abysmal. The manager with the worst away record in championship history (I've made that stat up but it must be close) meets a team that's hardly ever been good away in its entire history. A match made in hell.

3 league away goals all season and only three draws (with no wins) is simply embarrassing. It can't continue.

Plymouth's joint heaviest defeat of the season was inflicted by Burnley during the week. Are fans really starting to lose hope that survival is possible?

In a word, yes. We are doomed to relegation. Nobody gives us a serious chance of staying up except the most optimistic of fans.

This is about rebuilding for next season and hoping we somehow, somewhere, get an away win along the way. To go an entire season without one would be really embarrassing.

It's looking like another high points total needed to stay up. Even borderline play off form might not be enough. League One football beckons.

Onto the players, news came out that captain Morgan Whittaker is leaving for Middlesbrough - are you disappointed in the way that move has occurred with him refusing to play against Burnley?

No, far from it. We've also lost Lewis Gibson to Preston who was our only good defender, on top of losing the best keeper in the Championship at the start of the season.

In short, we're a shadow of our past selves and it's rather miserable to see. We can only hope for a League One rebuild.

Has Muslic been promised reinforcements in January or is he going to have to work with the players you have?

We simply cannot go to the end of the window without reinforcements. We currently have two fit centre-backs, for a back three. One of those is Victor Palsson who put in one of the worst individual performances I've ever seen against Burnley on Wednesday.

You might argue 'you're going down anyway' so what's the point but ultimately players aren't going to develop ahead of next season if we're being tanked every week. We need to start the rebuild now.

Ibrahim Cissoko was man of the match last time against Sunderland but was just retired from groin surgery - could he be ready to start?

Cissoko is unfortunately a victim of the move to the new style under Muslic. He's a flair player in a system that is much more attritional. And ultimately when we need inside forwards, an old fashioned winger isn't really a good fit.

He won't start even if he is fit. And it wouldn't shock me to see him sent back to his parent club this window.

Aside from the above-mentioned players, who do you think will cause Sunderland problems?

Errmmm I'll come back to you on that one! Local lad Adam Randell was having a good season in CM up to about Christmas but he looks mentally and physically shattered now, and he more or less assisted Burnley's fifth goal on Wednesday bless him.

Rami Al Hajj can be a good player on his day, but he's also wildly inconsistent.

Can you tell I'm not in an optimistic mood perchance?

How do you think Muslic will set up tactically at the Stadium of Light?

In all honesty, I imagine the intention will be to frustrate you and sit in.

Argyle team low on morale facing Sunderland hoping for a first win of a new manager? We've seen this movie before.

I can't quite imagine it will have the same ending. We will be better than we were on Wednesday (surely can't be worse) but don't expect any attacking intent or fireworks.

Are any players missing and who will start?

Well Morgan Whittaker is certainly missing after being sold to your local rivals Middlesbrough! The departure has been very acrimonious with him now using the Mirror to get his side of the story across and a pop at Miron Muslic in the process.

As mentioned, two of our centre backs are out and God knows who'll fill the third spot this time. We also have first-choice keeper Connor Hazard out and Muhammad Tijani (striker) has been injured since September but might be fit to make his return to the squad tomorrow.

3-4-3 - Grimshaw (GK) - Pleguezuelo, Palsson, Puchacz - Mumba, Randell, Gyabi, Ogbeta - Baidoo, Al Hajj, Hardie.

A team has scored three goals in the last two times our sides have met - what is your score prediction?

I think the trend will continue: 3-0 to Sunderland.