In times of crisis, people look for leadership. As Derby County head for administration and those responsible are nowhere to be seen, they need England's record goalscorer to guide them through one of the darkest moments in their history — and Wayne Rooney has made an impressive start to the toughest challenge of his career.
For much of the last two decades, Rooney has started the week looking forward to playing for Manchester United in the Champions League.
After guiding Derby to a 2-1 win over Stoke on Saturday, he is now anticipating meetings with administrators and discussions with staff members who fear for their livelihoods.