Birmingham City have fired manager Wayne Rooney following a run of only two wins in 15 games, with the crushing defeat to Leeds United serving as the final straw for St Andrew’s officials.
The former Manchester United and England manager was fired after fans turned on him during and after a 3-0 loss to Leeds United on New Year’s Day. Since taking over from John Eustace at the beginning of October, he has only won two of his 15 matches in charge.
It marks the end of a disastrous reign that was supposed to usher in ‘No Fear’ football to St Andrew’s. That was the mandate handed to the 38-year-old by chief executive Garry Cook, whose choice to hire England’s all-time leading scorer backfired spectacularly.
Cook trumpeted Rooney’s arrival, handing him an almost impossible brief with the club placed sixth in the Championship.
It was not enough to simply win games any longer; he had to do so in style, albeit with a new bunch of players at a club that had flirted with relegation from the second division for practically the entire previous decade.
Cook went on to say: “Wayne’s role here is to be a leader, to drive a successful, ambitious and winning mentality.” Birmingham City has reached yet another milestone. It brings with it a lot of expectation.”
Cook highlighted the ‘astute recruitment’ that occurred during the summer while unveiling Rooney. Fans who have paid to see the last 15 games have witnessed only two triumphs, while a lot of the imports from last summer, such as Ethan Laird and Tyler Roberts, have barely worn a pair of boots.
Cook’s claim that a “valuable and exciting” collection of players had been assembled has shown to be false. The focus will now shift to naming a successor.
On Wednesday, CEO Garry Cook issued a brief statement in which he stated, “We are committed to doing whatever it takes to bring success to St. Andrew’s.”
“Unfortunately, Wayne’s time with us did not go as planned, so we decided to take a different path.” The hunt for a successor will begin immediately, and we will keep supporters updated as new information becomes available.”
Rooney himself then released a statement, suggesting he should have been given more time: “I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they all gave me during my short period with the club.
“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.
“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.
“Finally, I wish Birmingham City FC and its owners my best wishes in the pursuit of their ambitions.”
