29 December 2023 , 15:31
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Wayne Rooney is closing in on the lowest win percentage in Birmingham City history as NFL legend Tom Brady 's ownership group weighs up dismissing the Manchester United icon.
Back in August on his 46th birthday, Brady announced he had acquired a minor stake in Birmingham City and the team made a promising start to the season under former coach John Eustace. The iconic former quarterback was in attendance for the first home game of the 2023/24 season, a 1-0 win over Leeds.
However, Birmingham surprisingly fired Eustace in favour of moving for Rooney following his departure from Major League Soccer ’s DC United. Rooney was appointed on 11 October and has struggled to get the Blues going in the Championship, with the club sliding down to 19th in the 24-team standings.
Many fans did not want Rooney in charge to begin with, especially as Eustace was doing a fine job. The England legend could have won the supporters over with impressive performances on the pitch, but results never followed - and Rooney is now nearing an undesirable piece of history.
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Former Chelsea superstar forward Gianfranco Zola endured the lowest winning rate of any Birmingham City manager in the club’s history, securing victories in just 8.3 percent of matches. He led the club from December 2016 to April 2017, posting a record of two wins, eight draws and 14 losses over 24 games.
However, Rooney is nearing Zola’s low mark. The 38-year-old has posted two wins, three draws and eight defeats to give him a winning rate of just 15.4 percent. However, Rooney has got a higher defeat percentage than the Italian.
The Blues’ turmoil is far from both what Brady was accustomed to during his NFL career and what he envisioned when he joined the club in the summer. Brady likely took the opportunity with the Midlands club after seeing the success that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had brought to Wrexham.
Tom Brady has visited St. Andrews several times since joining Birmingham City in August (Getty Images)When Brady announced his stake in Birmingham City, he admitted he needed to educate himself about the sport. In a video, the 46-year-old said: “Well, let’s just say, I’ve got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they might translate pretty well.
“I know success starts with the work put in when the world isn’t watching. I know that a team is nothing without the city that shows up and stands behind it. And most importantly, I know I like being the underdog.”
Brady retired from the NFL back in February, calling time on his iconic 23-year career following a difficult season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rooney will look to get points on the board when his Birmingham take on Bristol City on Friday 29 December.