October 11, (THEWILL) – Birmingham City have named former England and Manchester United star, Wayne Rooney, as their new manager. The 37-year-old takes over following the recent dismissal of John Eustace.
Rooney has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the club, becoming the first managerial appointment under Birmingham’s new owners, Knighthead. He arrives from MLS side, DC United, where he finished 9th, and out of playoff spots, in the Eastern Conference before departing over the weekend.
The announcement comes shortly after Eustace’s exit, despite Birmingham winning twice last week to move into the Championship play-off positions. However, the club’s owners decided a change was needed. During his illustrious playing career, Rooney became Manchester United’s all-time top scorer, while also holding England’s goalscoring record, until recently being surpassed by Harry Kane.
Rooney’s first match in charge will come after the international break against Middlesbrough. His next game sees Birmingham return home to face Hull City, managed by his former Derby assistant, Liam Rosenior, on October 25.
While he managed Derby before leaving for the MLS, Rooney earned praise for handling their dire situation despite ultimately being relegated. Without a 21-point deduction, the Rams would have finished 17th.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
