Birmingham City was in fifth place when Wayne Rooney was appointed manager of the team, Birmingham City in just 15 weeks plummeted to 20th, in a “I told you so” moment from Birmingham City fans to their board.
John Eustace, who was the coach before the former DC United manager came on board, was fired after guiding the club to its highest points tally since 2016 and was sacked because the club and board wanted to be “fully aligned on the culture of the football club”.
Rooney’s hiring, especially after NFL legend Tom Brady became a part owner of the team, was seen as giving the team unnecessary “star” power, it completely backfired. Rooney was only able to win 2 games out of 15, making Birmingham City the Championship team with the fewest points total since October when Rooney was appointed.
Wayne Rooney releases statement after sacking
“I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they gave me during my short period with the club.
“Football is a results business – and I recognize they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires, and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.
“Personally, it will take me some time to get over this setback. I have been involved in professional football, as either a player or manager, since I was 16. Now, I plan to take some time with my family as I prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager.”
This was part of the former Manchester United legend’s statement after the news came down and was posted on Rooney’s social media pages. Rooney’s managerial record is now 40-73-40 after managing Derby County, DC United, and Birmingham City.