01 February 2024 , 12:15
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Wayne Rooney is enjoying his break from football a month after he was brutally sacked by Birmingham City.
Rooney was in charge of just 15 games at St Andrew's, but took Blues from fifth down to 20th in the Championship. Club chiefs opted to cut ties with the Manchester United legend, who then revealed he would be taking a break from coaching.
The former striker has had spells in charge of Derby, DC United and Birmingham over the past four years, jumping into management as soon as he retired. Rather than finding a new job, Rooney appears to be enjoying his time away.
The England icon and wife Coleen have been pictured on holiday in Dubai. The couple were snapped standing in the desert, with Rooney wearing sunglasses and the traditional Middle East headdress.
They also undertook a night-time journey by camel, with each having their own ride. The Rooneys then rode in the back of a jeep as they travelled across the country, enjoying far sunnier climates than back home.
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Rooney is following through on the plans he laid when he sacked by Birmingham at the start of last month. The departing boss admitted it would take "some time" for him to recover from the sacking.
"I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they all gave me during my short period with the club," he said in a statement.
The Rooneys took a night-time camel ride"Football is a results business – and I recognise they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.
"Personally, it will take me some time to get over this setback. I have been involved in professional football, as either a player or manager, since I was 16. Now, I plan to take some time with my family as I prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager."
Birmingham's own statement when announcing Rooney's sacking was cold and brutal. Club chiefs insisted a change was needed after the boss had failed to meet their expectations.
The Man Utd legend is taking a break from management after his Birmingham City sacking (instagram/@waynerooney)"Birmingham City has today parted company with Manager, Wayne Rooney, and First Team Coach, Carl Robinson. Despite their best efforts, results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset," the statement read.
"Therefore, the Board feels that a change in management is in the best interests of the Football Club. The Club’s Board and management are fully aligned and will continue to drive transformation and take bold steps to rebuild Birmingham City into the organisation its fans and community deserve.
"The Board would like to place on record their sincere thanks to Wayne and Carl for all of their efforts.