Nathan Rooney

Nathan Rooney

Personal information
Date of birth	(1989-09-10) 10 September 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Blackburn, England
Team information
Current team	Larne (Head coach)
Youth career
Years	Team
	Blackburn Rovers
Managerial career
2020–2021	Colne
2022–2023	Bruno's Magpies
2023	Espinho
2023–2024	FCB Magpies
2024–	Larne

Nathan Rooney (born 10 September 1989) is an English football manager who is the head coach of NIFL Premiership club Larne.

Early life

Rooney was born in 1989 in Blackburn, England.^[1]

Playing career

As a youth player, Rooney joined the youth academy of English side Blackburn Rovers.^[2]

Managerial career

Rooney obtained a UEFA A License at the age of twenty-two.^[3] In 2020, after spells coaching academy sides of Blackburn Rovers and Fleetwood Town, as well as serving as an assistant coach at Crawley Town, Carlisle United and the Gibraltar national football team, Rooney was appointed manager of English side Colne.^[4][5]

In January 2022, he was appointed manager of Gibraltarian side Bruno's Magpies.^[6] He oversaw an upturn in form that saw the club secure UEFA Europa Conference League qualification for the first time by finishing 4th. After another season of improvement culminating in a 3rd place finish and the club winning the 2022–23 Rock Cup in his first full campaign, he resigned in May 2023 to take over Portuguese club Espinho.^[7] However, he returned to the rebranded FCB Magpies later in the summer, without managing a competitive game for Espinho.^[8] His first game back in charge saw the Magpies secure their first Pepe Reyes Cup, the traditional curtain raiser for the season between the previous season's league champions and cup winners. The season ended with another third place finish, securing another season of European football. They made headlines after a shock extra-time victory against League of Ireland Premier Division side Derry City in July 2024 set up a tie against Danish giants Copenhagen,^[9] which they lost 8–1 on aggregate despite taking an early lead in Denmark through Olatunde Bayode.

In November 2024, Rooney was linked with the vacant position in charge of NIFL Premiership champions Larne, following the loss of Tiernan Lynch to Derry City.^[10] After missing Magpies' 7-0 win over Europa Point, for which assistant Mason McClelland took over, he was officially unveiled by the Invermen on 25 November.^[11]

Personal life

Rooney is married to Cymru and Real Betis defender Rhiannon Roberts. The couple's wedding day celebrations, which included a 5-a-side girls vs boys football match, went viral online in 2022.^[12]

Honours

FCB Magpies

• Rock Cup: 2022–23
• Pepe Reyes Cup: 2023

References

1. "Nathan Rooney: Taking Gibraltar side Bruno's Magpies into Europe and dreaming of a big future". skysports.com.
2. "Nathan Rooney's route to Carlisle United - via Gibraltar, Africa, Fleetwood, Crawley and coaching at 17". newsandstar.co.uk.
3. "Nathan Rooney: Meet the English coach in Gibraltar dreaming big and taking inspiration from Graham Potter". inews.co.uk.
4. "Nathan Rooney and Richard Duffy roles explained". stokesentinel.co.uk.
5. "Nathan Rooney is looking for 'nastiness and nous'". lancashiretelegraph.co.uk.
6. "Nathan Rooney - The Coaches Voice article".
7. Nathan Rooney departs Magpies Bruno's Magpies. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
8. Official Announcement Bruno's Magpies. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
9. [https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024/0718/1460717-magpies-swoop-late-to-end-derrys-european-interest/ Bruno Magpies swoop late to end Derry City's Conference League involvement] RTÉ. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
10. Larne look to Gibraltar for their new manager as they close in on FCB Magpies boss Belfast Telegraph. 21 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
11. Nathan Rooney appointed Larne boss Larne FC. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
12. Rhiannon Roberts: Wales and Liverpool defender explains viral wedding video BBC Sport. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2024.