Birmingham City FC have today announced that former England captain Wayne Rooney is set to replace John Eustace as their new manager. Talks between t
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The 33-year-old already has experience in management, having been in charge at Derby County between November 2020 and June 2022. Should the deal go through, former England teammates Ashley Cole and John O’Shea are expected to join him as part of his backroom staff.
The move comes after US-based Shelby Companies Limited completed a takeover of the club in July. Owner Tom Wagner has been seeking to make a change of management, with Rooney’s name being linked with the club in September. The news was further boosted in August when seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady became a minority owner in the club.
Eustace was sacked despite guiding Birmingham to sixth place in the Championship this season. He replaced Lee Bowyer in July 2022 and helped Birmingham finish nine points above the drop zone in the second tier amid off-field issues surrounding the ownership of the club.
Chief executive Garry Cook vowed to take Blues to the next level, saying: “The owners and board members are ambitious. They are driven to help make Birmingham City a football powerhouse. It will not happen overnight. It is a step-by-step approach. We are well aware of what has happened at Blues over the past decade. We believe we have moved on from those dark days giving hope and aspiration to existing and new fans. Our intent is to be judged over what we do in the years to come and be ambitious with the new story that we are writing.”
The appointment of Wayne Rooney as the new manager of Birmingham City FC marks the beginning of a new era for the club. With the backing of a new ownership group, the former England captain has the opportunity to bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the club, and with the help of his experienced backroom staff, he will be looking to help the club reach its ambitions of becoming a football powerhouse.
