England and Manchester United great Wayne Rooney has been appointed as the brand new supervisor of Birmingham City, 3 days after leaving Major League Soccer membership D.C. United.
Rooney has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at St. Andrew’s with the Blues having sacked John Eustace hours after the previous England global introduced he was once returning to England from the United States. He takes over an aspect within the Championship play off spots with bold plans underneath a brand new possession crew that incorporates Tom Brady.
“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City Football Club at such an exciting time,” mentioned Rooney. “It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club. We are fully aligned on what is expected. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started.
“I’ve a transparent approach that I would like the group to play, and my training body of workers and I will be able to paintings onerous to put in force it. We will create a successful tradition right here with an id that gets Blues lovers on their ft.”
Rooney will likely be joined by way of former group associates Ashley Cole and John O’Shea, who’re additionally ultimate of their respective global roles with the England Under-21s and Republic of Ireland senior group. Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth have adopted Birmingham’s new supervisor from Washington.
The 37-year-old received many plaudits for his first task in control, maintaining financially Derby County within the Championship having taken price in January 2021. His sole complete season in price noticed a younger Rams aspect accrue 55 issues at the box regardless that they had been relegated because of two separate issues sanctions from the EFL. Rooney’s transfer to DC United, with whom he spent two seasons as a participant, was once much less a success and he departed on Sunday after the membership’s failure to qualify for the playoffs was once showed.
Rooney’s arrival at St. Andrew’s is not going to essentially be universally widespread for the reason that Eustace had guided Birmingham to protection closing season and now had the membership in 6th position. Before the brand new supervisor was once showed, leader govt Garry Cook pleaded with supporters to accept as true with the membership hierarchy after taking the verdict because of “misalignment with the leadership of the club” and Eustace.
On Rooney’s appointment, Cook added: “We are incredibly excited by Wayne’s arrival. When the opportunity presents itself to appoint a manager who shares your ambition and is both a student and a great of the game, then you act. This is what we have done.”