Wayne Rooney expresses disappointment as Birmingham City SACK him; claims he wasn’t given time

Wayne Rooney was Birmingham City manager for only 83 days.

Wayne Rooney expresses disappointment as Birmingham City SACK him; claims he wasn’t given time

Wayne Rooney managed only 2 wins in 15 matches. (Image via EuroSport)

Wayne Rooney was appointed by the new owners of Birmingham City on 11th October, replacing John Eustace. When Eustace was sacked, City was placed 6th in the Championship. After just 15 games, Rooney was fired from his job. 

Rooney had previously managed Derby County and D.C. United. After leaving United as they failed to qualify for the MLS Playoffs, the new American owners hired the Manchester United legend. In his first match, City faced Middlesborough and lost 1:0. This loss set the tone for Rooney’s time at the club, as they lost 8 more matches in the next 14 games. 

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Birmingham managed to win only 2 matches, which saw them drop from 6th to 20th, two places above relegation. Garry Crook, the CEO of Birmingham City, said they were not happy with the form and decided the club needed new management. 

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Football is a results business - and I recognise 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.
Wayne Rooney’s statement after being sacked

Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney, in his statement, thanked Crook, Tom Brady, and Tom Wagner for allowing him to manage the team, but was unhappy. He claimed the club gave less time to him and he couldn’t bring on the changes he wanted to. He announced that he would take some time and then return to management. 

Wayne Rooney’s disastrous time at Birmingham City 

John Eustace took over as manager in the summer of 2023 after Birmingham City’s disappointing 17th-place finish in the 2022/23 season. He led the team for 11 matches, winning 5 and earning 18 points.

Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney was hired in October after he left D.C. United. (Image via Reuters)

However, following the club’s acquisition by Shelby Companies Ltd, Eustace was sacked, and Wayne Rooney took over as the new manager.

His first match against Middlesbrough ended with a 1-0 loss. He took 6 matches to finally get his first win, a 2-1 victory against Sheffield United. In the next 8 matches, Rooneye managed only one win. While Eustace got 18 points in 11 games, Rooney got 10 points in 15. The club decided to fire the 38-year-old after a 3-0 loss to Leeds United on 1st January. 

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