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Birmingham City have confirmed Wayne Rooney as their new manager.
The 37-year-old has agreed to terms with St Andrew’s on a three-and-a-half-year contract that would keep him at the Championship club until 2027.
The announcement comes only three days after Rooney left MLS team DC United by mutual consent after failing to lead the capital club into the American playoffs.
The former England captain stated that he did not have a position lined up when he announced his retirement, although he has been heavily connected with a move to Birmingham for a number of months, owing in part to the club’s American ownership.
Birmingham terminated manager John Eustace earlier this week, despite the fact that the club is now in the Championship playoff places, and the club has officially confirmed Rooney’s arrival.
Rooney will be joined at the club by former teammates Ashley Cole and John O’Shea, who will also balance their present international coaching positions with their new domestic jobs.
“I am overjoyed to join Birmingham City Football Club at such an exciting time.” “It is clear that they have a plan and are committed to achieving their goals for the club,” Rooney said in a statement.
“We are completely in agreement on what is required. I’ve been developing my managerial skills and placing myself in hard situations to prepare for this chance. I’m excited to get started on this project since it gives me a feeling of purpose.
“We have some exciting young players in the squad, as well as some who have yet to break into the first team, as well as a core of experienced senior professionals.” I have a clear vision for how I want the squad to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to put it into action. We will build a winning culture here with an identity that will have Blues fans up and dancing.
“When I played at St Andrew’s, Birmingham City fans were always loud and enthusiastic about their team.”
It was a difficult place to come as an opponent, and now I get to see what it’s like to have people on our side.
My role is to take the club to the next level, and I can’t wait to get started. I know what the expectations are and our job is to deliver.”
“Wayne is a born winner,” said co-owner and chairman Tom Wagner. We think that, with the help of his coaching team, the club, and our fans, he will lead Blues to the next stage of our adventure. His playing mentality will aid in the realization of the goals we have set for Birmingham City.
“Wayne has been preparing for this opportunity since he began his coaching education while still a Manchester United player.” The board of directors and everyone at the football club fully support him and his staff.”
“We are incredibly excited by Wayne’s arrival,” Birmingham CEO Garry Cook said of the hiring. When the opportunity to choose a manager who shares your objective and is both a student and a great of the game arises, you seize it. This is exactly what we did.
“We are confident that his appointment, along with his hand-picked coaching staff, will result in a young, attacking team that will excite our fans.”
“The timing of Wayne’s appointment will allow him to assess the playing staff and collaborate with Craig Gardner on the squad’s recruitment needs ahead of the January and summer transfer windows.” This is a watershed moment for the club.”
Rooney had a spectacular playing career, setting records for both Manchester United and England, albeit the latter has since been eclipsed by Harry Kane.
Rooney scored 313 goals in 763 club games and 53 goals in 120 international appearances, winning five Premier League crowns, a Champions League, a Europa League, an FA Cup, three EFL Cups, and a FIFA Club World Cup along the way.
However, he has yet to reach such heights in his managerial career, having been relegated with a financially troubled Derby County before taking over at DC United for the previous 15 months.
Rooney has won 38, drawn 36, and lost 64 of his 138 managerial matches, with a total win rate of 27.5%.
Meanwhile, Eustace won 21 of his 63 games as Birmingham manager, for a 33.33%-win rate.
