Rooney, who holds the record for the most goals scored for Manchester United, however is more concerned about the knowledge he will get from working with the Spanish manager and so expressed his admiration for Guardiola’s coaching style and the way he continually adapts his tactics.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Rooney highlighted Guardiola’s influence on coaches like Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and emphasized his belief in Guardiola’s managerial prowess.
“If Pep Guardiola comes in and asks me to be his assistant, you’d walk there,” Rooney stated, indicating his willingness to work under the esteemed manager.
“You see what [Mikel] Arteta is doing now [at Arsenal] and I strongly believe a lot of that is from learning what Guardiola was doing and so it depends on what the situation is.
“For me, the best manager is Pep and you look at how he adapts — how they [City] are playing now is not the same as how they were playing four years ago.
“He keeps making these subtle changes and then you see everyone else trying to do the same. They also work harder than anyone else.”
This season, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the English, European and Club World Cup champions, are 12 points better off in the Premier League than sixth-placed United and Rooney says it is “frustrating” watching his former team under Erik ten Hag.
He said: “There’s talent in there but I just think there’s a mindset that needs to change.
“You watch some really good games but then all of a sudden it’s like a switch that’s been flicked.
“They can go from being really good to really bad. There’s a lack of consistency.”