Manchester United fan Kieran McKenna spent years admiring “phenomenon” Wayne Rooney’s finishing prowess but it is the Ipswich boss who appears a managerial marvel as he plots the Tractor Boys’ consecutive promotion push.

While Rooney is already facing heat from Blues fans after beginning his reign with three defeats, it feels that McKenna can do no wrong at Portman Road.

And the paths to their respective jobs could scarcely be different. When Rooney was making life hell for defenders across Europe, McKenna found himself studying at Loughborough University after his playing days were curtailed at 22 by a hip injury.

The consensus is that big-name players can walk into managerial roles while those who take alternative routes must work harder with no guarantee of a breakthrough. Except McKenna bristles at such a suggestion – and says Rooney deserves praise for embracing the “madness” of management when he could be living comfortably in retiremen