Man Utd icon who left Sir Alex Ferguson speechless secures Wayne Rooney reunion

12 October 2023 , 13:02

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John O'Shea and Wayne Rooney were team-mates before the former joined Sunderland in 2011 (Image: Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney and John O'Shea have reunited at Birmingham City - 11-and-a-half years after Manchester United's Premier League title agony.

Rooney was announced as Birmingham's new manager on Wednesday, with former United team-mate O'Shea part of his backroom staff. The latter will continue his role as the Republic of Ireland's assistant boss, despite joining the Championship side.

Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Ashley Cole is also part of Rooney's team - although he will continue his role as England U21's assistant manager - and Rooney's assistants at DC United Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth have also joined him at St Andrew's.

O'Shea won five Premier League titles with United before moving to Sunderland in the summer of 2011. United were on course to win the Premier League title in their first season without him before Manchester City's famous comeback against Queens Park Rangers.

Goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero snatched a 3-2 win for City on the final day of the 2011/12 campaign, handing them the Premier League title. United would've been champions if City had failed to win, having defeated Sunderland 1-0 on the same day.

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United's game finished first, as Sir Alex Ferguson's players waited anxiously for the result of City's match. Then came the news of City's remarkable triumph, leaving Rooney and the rest of United's squad devastated. Even O'Shea, as a Sunderland player, was gutted.

Ferguson revealed as much back in 2017. As quoted by the Daily Star, he said: "When we lost the league to City, for 30 seconds we were champions. We actually thought we had won it and we were on the pitch until the Sunderland fans started chanting.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side missed out on the 2011/12 Premier League title at the last minute (Getty Images)

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"I went from half ready to celebrate to coming back into the dressing room. I'll always remember, as we were going down the tunnel, John O'Shea was standing there and he was almost crying. John was a Sunderland boy (by then). He said, 'Boss, what can I say?'

"I had to brush by him as my mind was going, 'What can I say to these boys of mine?' I let them over it and I said, 'Right, anybody interviews you, you congratulate City. We're going to win it next year'."

United did exactly that, finishing 11 points clear of City in second. That was Ferguson's final season in charge, with United failing to win the title since. David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Ranging have all unsuccessfully tried.

Rooney and O'Shea will now try to reach the Premier League with Birmingham. The Blues are currently sixth in the Championship - occupying the final play-off spot - although there are still 35 games to go and several teams in contention.

Tom Blow