Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney was on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, sacked by Birmingham bringing to an end a disastrous reign that lasted slightly over two months.
The former striker was handed a three-and-a-half-year contract to steer the championship club to success but that did not happen as the club dropped from fifth to 20th under his watch.
The former England international oversaw 15 games as the Blues head coach and only managed a paltry two wins. He drew four matches and lost the remaining nine – a return that saw him manage only ten points from a possible 45.
The club had long been patient with him despite boos from the fans who wanted Rooney out of their club. The final straw on the 38-year-old’s reign in Birmingham was a 3-0 loss against Leeds United on Monday, January 1, 2024.
Wayne Rooney: I hope to manage Manchester United in future
At the start of 2022 when Manchester United had just parted with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and appointed Ralf Rangnick as caretaker manager, a lot of names were linked with the vacant position at Old Trafford.
Among those who were tipped with the job which was eventually taken up by Erik ten Hag from Ajax, was Wayne Rooney who spent 13 trophy-laden years in Manchester.
Then head coach at Derby County, the former Three Lions captain expressed his desire to manage The Red Devils in the future, saying it is a club close to his heart – just like his boyhood club Everton.
“Manchester United and Everton are the two clubs that are very close to me. Hopefully one day in the future I can manage one of those two clubs. It’d be a great achievement for me,” he said.
A summary of Wayne Rooney’s managerial career
Wayne Rooney’s managerial career kicked off in January 2020 when he agreed to turn out for another Championship side Derby County as a player-coach.
ALSO READ: Birmingham sack Wayne Rooney for taking them from 5th to 20th
In November 2020, he was appointed part of the four-man interim management team following the departure of head coach Phillip Cocu and fully assumed the head coach role in January 2021 – then retired from playing.
In June 2022 he resigned as DC United manager and was appointed head coach of MLS side DC United where he served until October 2023 when they parted ways.
A few days later he replaced John Eustace at Birmingham who was fired after 15 months at the helm. He has also been fired.
