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Wayne Rooney expects to see at least “the basics” from his Plymouth Argyle side after they were thrashed 4-0 in their Championship season opener at Sheffield Wednesday.
The former Derby and Birmingham manager, who was taking charge of his first game at Argyle, warned players if he saw another performance like that then “they will not play,” for him again.
“From my point of view, you can lose football games, that happens, but you have to do the basics and you have to make sure you run and you tackle and you’re getting to the ball and that wasn’t there,” Rooney told BBC Radio Devon.
“The players know, they understand they have to be at it every game.
“I’ve told them after the game if I see a performance like that again from any player – whether they’ve been at the club for a long time or whether they’ve just come into the club as a new player – they will not play.”
Plymouth finished just one place and one point above the Championship relegation places last season and Rooney has bought in six players since taking charge.
They lost long-serving defender Dan Scarr after he joined newly promoted League One side Wrexham for an undisclosed fee.
Rooney’s side face Cheltenham Town in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and he is not ruling out bringing more players in before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
“It’s the first game of the season and of course we’re disappointed,” added Rooney.
“But I don’t think it’s time to panic, I’ve seen the work we’ve done throughout the pre-season which gives me encouragement.
“If players become available who we feel can improve the team then of course we’ll look at that, but I don’t think we can start panic buying after one game.”