Over two years after his departure, Wayne Rooney’s tenure as Birmingham City manager continues to haunt Blues fans.

Birmingham made a solid start to the 2023-24 season after Tom Wagner took over the club over the summer, sitting sixth in the Championship standings heading into the October international break with 18 points from their first 11 games.

However, the Blues made the highly contentious decision to fire manager John Eustace and replace him with Rooney, who was allegedly charged with establishing a form of “no fear” football at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.

Rooney’s tenure as Birmingham manager began disastrously, with the club losing its first three games. While he eventually won his first game at the sixth attempt, 2-1 over Sheffield Wednesday, discontent was increasing among supporters who were already opposed to the management change.

Under Rooney, the Blues continued to slide towards relegation, and the 40-year-old was fired in January 2024 after less than three months in command, with the team placed 20th in the standings, having won only two of his 15 games, drawn four and losing nine.

Tony Mowbray was appointed as Rooney’s replacement, but he was forced to resign due to illness after just over a month in the role, and Gary Rowett was unable to keep Birmingham in the Championship after returning to the club on an interim basis, with the Midlands outfit relegated on the final day of the season.

In the wake of Birmingham City’s announcement, Wayne Rooney makes a shocking remark about Tom Wagner and Tom Brady

Rooney was told to play a more appealing style of football at Birmingham, but the former Blues manager admitted that he knew early on that his players were unable to meet his expectations.

During The Overlap Fan Debate, Rooney stated that he wanted to revert to the successful manner of his predecessor, Eustace, but was advised against it by the club owners.Rooney stated, “I knew there were big changes with Tom Wagner and Tom Brady coming in from Birmingham.”After a few games with the Birmingham club, I informed the owners that the players were not capable of fulfilling the team’s expectations.I was told to continue doing it,

but it eventually led to my job loss.I aspired to emulate John Eustace’s successful approach.”I could see what was coming until I could bring in capable players.””They wanted me to keep doing what I was doing, and then I lost my job.”So, in retrospect, that’s something where I’ve just got to do what I believe is right, rather than being swayed by the owners, which ultimately lost me my job.

Birmingham City’s huge Wayne Rooney gamble was doomed from the beginning.

Rooney’s recent comments are unlikely to elicit sympathy from Birmingham fans, but it’s hard not to believe that he was always destined to fail at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.

Having replaced a popular manager with the club in the play-offs, Rooney faced an uphill struggle from the start to win over the Blues fanbase, and after being urged to install a style of game that his side was incapable of playing, results were bound to suffer.

However, while Rooney may be correct that he should have been given more time and an opportunity to strengthen the squad in January, Birmingham had no choice but to fire him given the club’s alarming slide down the table during his tenure, and the decision will forever be a black mark on the ownership record.