Wayne Rooney is creating an environment where Plymouth Argyle can thrive according to defender Nathanael Ogbeta.
The 23-year-old was the first signing the Pilgrims made after appointing Rooney as head coach and says he has been impressed by 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 told BBC Radio Devon.
“Football’s a high pressure sport, but he knows what sort of an environment to create to make it easy for us.
“I feel like we’re growing and we’re learning every day – there is stuff that we need to work on and stuff we need to get better on – but there’s a culture of learning rather than trying to be perfect straight away.
“We’re trusting the process and I feel like that’s allowing us to be free and to try things.”
Plymouth Argyle is the third Championship club Wayne Rooney has managed after stints at Derby and Birmingham
Former Manchester City and England youth player Ogbeta moved to Home Park after his deal at Argyle’s Championship rivals Swansea ran out.
He made just three appearances for the Welsh club after joining from Shrewsbury Town in January 2022 and spent the second half of the past two seasons on loan at Peterborough United and Bolton Wanderers.
Ogbeta said Rooney and his staff’s methods on the training field had impressed him.
“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,” he said.
“Everything is down to you and your desire and your hunger to be the best that you can be every day, and I feel like that’s what the gaffer was.
“He was determined to be the best every time and that’s the environment he’s creating where everyone’s competing, everyone wants to be the best, everyone wants to show the gaffer how good they are.
“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.”
Argyle have begun pre-season with a 2-2 draw with South African side Orlando Pirates in Spain before a 5-1 win over League Two side Cheltenham Town on Saturday in Rooney’s first game as Pilgrims boss on English soil.
And Ogbeta says the former Derby County and Birmingham City boss also has an understanding of the pressures players face both physically and emotionally.
“If you don’t work hard and don’t do the basics you’re not going to play,” he added.
“But if you give him everything and do the right things he’s going to give you everything, and that’s what you want in a manager, someone that’s going to believe, someone who’s going to stick by you and someone who’s going to understand that there’s certain things in football like mental health and stuff, that can be difficult and challenging.
“But the coaches and the culture and the environment that they are creating for us is allowing us to feel comfortable if we’re not feeling great or if we’re not feeling as mentally strong as we should, and I feel that’s so important because I feel that that part of the game gets overlooked.
“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.”
