Wayne Rooney was fired by Birmingham City 15 games into a ‘long-term project’.
Wayne Rooney, who had signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Birmingham City, was shocked to learn that his tenure as manager was ending after just 15 games. Despite having open dialogues with the club hierarchy, including CEO Garry Cook and director of football Craig Gardner, there was no indication of waning faith in Rooney.
Birmingham City manager Wayne Rooney has been sacked after just two of his 15 games, despite his recent defeat at Leeds United. Birmingham’s recent run saw them drop from sixth to 20th in the Championship table, just six points above the relegation zone. City supporters had never warmed to Rooney after replacing John Eustace, and by the end of Monday’s game, their cries of “Wayne Rooney, get out of our club” left nobody doubting their minds. Birmingham’s players were informed of the news at their temporary training ground at Henley-in-Arden.
Rooney was tasked with transforming a team known for counter-attacking football into a possession-based, attacking side. However, the team felt the sacking of Eustace was unnecessary, as he had managed the club through difficult times under previous ownership. The players tried to embrace the new approach from Rooney and his inexperienced backroom staff, including former Chelsea defender Ashley Cole and former Manchester United teammate John O’Shea.
The players were playing for Rooney, and there were moments of potential, like the 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town and the 1-0 win at Cardiff City, but these were insufficient to please the unhappy fanbase who saw the team lacking structure and incapable of playing as Rooney wanted.
Despite public criticism and criticism from his players, Rooney was not unpopular. He occasionally questioned the mental strength, ability, and pride of his squad. After the Leeds game, Rooney stated that the squad needed an overhaul and that recalibrating would take more than one transfer window.
Rooney, a former player, became frustrated with his players’ inability to perform simple tasks on the pitch. He took on a more watching brief during training sessions, leaving most work to assistants Carl Robinson and O’Shea, while Cole worked on set pieces. Rooney would intervene when he wanted to change or press home a point. Despite his illustrious career, Rooney was not more hands-on, especially with attacking players. Few squad members improved during his tenure, except for midfielder Jordan James. Rooney’s tenure was not helped by injuries to better players or downturns in form from senior players. He struggled to get the rest of his group on board with game plans, which frequently changed as he simplified them.
Despite initial improvements in performances against Cardiff, Leicester City, and Plymouth Argyle, the home displays against Stoke City and Bristol City, involving verbal altercations and Rooney being booed, put his future in jeopardy. The hardcore away fans turned on him at Leeds, sealing his fate. The Birmingham squad was asked to change their approach, moving away from a style the players believed in but the club’s hierarchy did not. This season, it proved effective.
