10 October 2023 , 01:00
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On the face of it, Birmingham City bringing in one of the greatest footballers Britain has ever produced is a no-brainer for a club that has been forced to battle against the tide in recent seasons.
And yet, appointing Wayne Rooney arguably represents an unnecessary risk for a club that appears to have made huge strides forward this season. On Monday, it was confirmed that John Eustace had been sacked, despite defying financial issues to guide the club to safety last season.
Birmingham also currently lie sixth in the table this time around amid a positive start which saw them unbeaten in their first five games. The upturn followed NFL legend Tom Brady buying a minority stake in the club, but Rooney's managerial record so far suggests he'll arrive in the midlands still with much to prove as a manager.
Mirror Football has taken an in-depth look at his career in the dugout so far...
Defying doubters at Derby
Rooney's first foray into management came in January 2021 when the player-coach was elevated to take charge of a Derby team in disarray.
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His initial impact was seismic, taking the club from rock-bottom in the Championship to eight points clear of relegation in barely a month. He was even linked to the Celtic job, but after racking up 31 points in 18 games, things would soon unravel.
A run of just one win in 14 games had the Rams plummeting back towards the drop zone. Eventually they survived on the final day amid a nerve-jangling 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, but rather than be lauded for a 'great escape', Rooney's side were deemed to have stumbled over the line.
Wayne Rooney's fist managerial job came at Derby (PA)HAVE YOUR SAY! Have Birmingham been unfair on John Eustace? Comment below.
Battling against relegation
If Derby's 2020/21 survival was met with scepticism, then ironically relegation the following season came amid a plethora of plaudits.
Forced to spend the whole campaign in administration as financial turmoil engulfed the club, a 21-point deduction left Rooney and co with nigh-on impossible task. And yet, with a series of late goals and passionate displays, they briefly threatened to achieve the impossible before running out of steam in the closing weeks.
Opting to stay and fight for the cause, all whilst reportedly dipping into his own pocket to ensure players got paid, elevated Rooney to hero status. He even publicly dismissed any notion of returning to Everton as interim boss, choosing instead to be loyal to his current employers.
Therefore, his change of heart at the end of the campaign caught Derby off guard. With the club set to remain in administration going into 2022/23, he resigned, insisting the club needed a figure that wasn't scarred by the previous turmoil.
American dream falls flat
Rooney was in the twilight of his career when he went to DC United as a player in 2018, but the class was still apparent as he struck 25 times in 52 club appearances.
But his return as a manager in the summer of 2022 proved less fruitful. The club finished rock bottom of the MLS overall table in his first campaign, and despite improvements this time around, failed to qualify for the play-offs - leading to the exit of the United and England icon.
So Rooney, 37, will take charge at Birmingham having previously proven himself a passionate manager capable of galvanising a side in adversity. Whether he can prove himself a manager capable of leading a side into the Premier League, now remains to be seen.
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