Wayne Rooney speaks on becoming new manager of Birmingham City with three former players joining him as part of his managerial team.
Rooney stepped down from his role as head coach of DC United by mutual consent last Sunday having missed out on the MLS Cup play-offs.
Birmingham quickly began talks with the 37-year-old just hours after sacking boss John Eustace on Monday.
This came despite the club sitting 6th in the Championship table following back-to-back wins.
Rooney joins on a three-and-a-half-year deal with Ashley Cole, John O’Shea, Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth joining him.
Birmingham City Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of @WayneRooney as Manager, agreeing terms on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
Welcome to Blues, Wayne! 🤝🔵
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) October 11, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT:
Birmingham City Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Wayne Rooney as Manager, agreeing terms on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
He starts with immediate effect having recently left his position as Head Coach of Major League Soccer side D.C. United.
Rooney is supported by his former England international teammate Ashley Cole, the current England Under-21s assistant coach, John O’Shea, the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland men’s national team and Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth who both assisted Rooney at DC United. Shuttleworth was also part of his coaching team at Derby County.
Ashley Cole and John O’Shea will retain their coaching roles with their respective national sides.
Maik Taylor will remain at the Club as Goalkeeper Coach.
The 37-year-old began his full-time managerial journey with Derby County in January 2021. The former England striker steered the Rams to safety in the Sky Bet Championship having taken charge with the club in the relegation zone.
Battling a 21-point deduction in his first full season in charge, Rooney assembled, guided, and galvanised a group of players, primarily from the Academy, to reach an impressive 55 points whilst simultaneously combating multiple club-related issues. He resigned from his position in June 2022, taking the reins in D.C. three weeks later.
Birmingham City Co-Owner and Chairman of the Board, Tom Wagner said: “Wayne is a born winner. We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the Club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey. His playing philosophy will help to realise the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City.
“Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education whilst still a player at Manchester United. He and his staff have the full support of the Board and everyone at the Football Club.”
Birmingham City Chief Executive Officer, Garry Cook, said: “We are incredibly excited by Wayne’s arrival. When the opportunity presents itself to appoint a manager who shares your ambition and is both a student and a great of the game, then you act. This is what we have done.
“We are confident that his appointment, supported by his hand-picked coaching staff, will culminate in a young, attack-minded team that will excite our fans. The timing of the appointment will allow Wayne to evaluate the playing staff and work with Craig Gardner on the squad’s recruitment needs ahead of the January and Summer transfer windows. This is a defining moment for the Football Club.”
Rooney commented: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City Football Club at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club. We are fully aligned on what is expected. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started.
“We have some exciting young players in the squad, and some who are still to break through into the First Team, alongside a core of experienced senior professionals. I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it. We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet.
Via an interview on the club’s YouTube channel, he added: “Delighted um obviously went out to the to the states and really for experience and keep developing as a coach but when this opportunity came up to join Birmingham it was something which I was so happy for, I was excited and happy to be back coaching England and I’m looking forward to it, I think it’s a massive club and it’s clear what the owners ambitions are and and what how the club wants to move forward and it’s a huge story and this could be one of the biggest stories in football and certainly over the next few years and I want to be involved in that I want to be part of trying to bring success back to this football club.
“I think it’s the simplest ad and of course to win there’s there’s a lot of factors which need to take place to do that is the reason why I’ve brought me the coaching staff in I’ve brought with me because obviously John O’Shea, play with and all his mentality he’s working the Championship before Ashley Cole is a a born winner him the the medals he’s won throughout his career pach aw who knows the club really well he’s W to the club before is who been with me in me two previous jobs and Carl Robertson who has managed Vancouver he’s managed out in Australia and but also a top coach who has been coaching with me and DC United so the the coaching staff have brought him will all help um develop the players but but help us win I think that’s the important thing the this club needs to get back to winning and that’s the reason I’ve come in and and I really believe with the group of players we’ve got and we’re looking to win and that’s what we’re looking to do.”
See more of the interview via clicking the YouTube video above.
Twitter users reacted as Wayne Rooney speaks on becoming the new manager of Birmingham City…
@Rowley68: Reading between the lines .. looks like the January window will be quite busy for #BCFC
@Martin_Bolton39: Fingers crossed the club ownership know what they are doing and this works out, time will tell #BCFC #kro
@robbiek44: Keep Right On. Up the Blues. Up the Cook. Up the Wagner. Come onnnnnnnnnnnnn BLUES #BCFC
@ToweringZigic: Wishing @WayneRooney all the luck in the world! What’s done is done now and it’s time for us all to get behind him. Really intrigued to see his first sit-down interview. A huge few months ahead for both Rooney and Garry Cook #BCFC
@LeeTaylor93: Being a great player back in the day doesn’t automatically makes you a shit hot manager. The Rooney project will flop like it did at Derby & DC! I feel sorry for Birmingham fans & John Eustace for stupid American’s having no knowledge of the English game. #bcfc @WayneRooney
@Andy1875KRO: Let’s give Rooney and his back room team our full backing now. If we do what we do best as fans (apart from get arrested) he’ll soon realise what a great club and fan base he has inherited! #BCFC #KRO
@SwannyHypno: Hopefully he does really well, I do think he did ok at Derby given the situation and the DC United fans were pretty pissed off on their post announcing his departure. Just worried how much he’s getting paid #bcfc
@BluesAnalytics_: Time to stop looking backwards now and regardless of whether we agree with the change or not, support the man in charge. Rooney didn’t appoint himself and he’s now one of us. The greatest footballer this country has ever produced is now in the #bcfc dugout. Good luck Wazza 👍
@johngorle: Wayne Rooney was not my choice , but as the new manager he gets my full support , it’s never about any one individual , it’s about the club , welcome to @BCFC Wayne Rooney and make me eat my words #KRO
@EthanTommoT: Big Jessie. Lingard back to blues in Jan #BCFC
@joshtillz16: 3 and a half years is abit of a risk isnt it but yano what the board know their short terms targets and long term, something a board aint done for us for years. #KRO
@tomwagnerarmy: Looking on Twitter now, bringing Rooney in, we’re being doubted. AGAIN. Before we’ve even kicked a ball under his management. We’ve got Rooney, so let’s back him! Up the Blues, and KRO! 💙 #BCFC
@HumzahMudhir: Right now that he’s in let’s back him. Yes he doesn’t have the best record, but he could be very good and I like the sound of Ashley Cole as one of the assistants as he has some good coaching experience. Let’s hope he carries on what Eustace started. KRO #BCFC
Sky sports rushing to get Carricks Middlesbrough vs Rooneys Blues on sky sports main event #bcfc pic.twitter.com/O2Krfi3ULO
— S (@BrexitTackle) October 11, 2023
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