Wayne Rooney is set to make a managerial return in England, having been named as the manager of Championship club Birmingham City for a contract spanning three and a half years, as announced by the club on Wednesday.
The former Manchester United icon left his position as head coach of D.C. United on Sunday, following the team’s failure to secure a spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs for the second consecutive season. He has now taken up the role at Birmingham, a club where NFL legend Tom Brady was revealed to have become a minority owner and advisory board chair back in August.
Joining Rooney’s coaching staff are two of his former teammates, Ashley Cole, with whom he played for the England national team, and John O’Shea, with whom he shared the pitch during their time at Manchester United.
“I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity,” Rooney said in a statement. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started.”
Rooney steps in as the new manager, taking over from John Eustace. Eustace had Birmingham City in sixth place in the Championship, having secured five wins in their first 11 games. However, his 15-month tenure as manager came to an end on Monday.
Eustace’s tenure with Birmingham was marked by challenging circumstances, including two unsuccessful takeover attempts and the looming possibility of a points deduction due to a breach of EFL regulations, which he successfully navigated to help the team avoid relegation in the previous season.
“Wayne is a born winner,” Birmingham co-owner Tom Wagner said. “We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey. His playing philosophy will help us realise the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City.
“Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education while still a player at Manchester United. He and his staff have the full support of the board and everyone at the football club.”
Wayne Rooney has prior experience managing in the Championship, with his inaugural coaching role at Derby County spanning from January 2021 to June 2022.
During his tenure at Derby, he steered the club from the bottom of the championship to safety shortly after his arrival. However, in his first full season in charge, the team faced a significant setback due to a 21-point deduction.
Notably, the 55 points that Derby accumulated that season would have typically secured their safety in any other championship campaign.
Rooney assumed the role of head coach at D.C. United in July 2022 after previously playing for the club. In his first season, he couldn’t prevent the team from finishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Subsequently, he guided the club to an improved ninth-place finish in 2023, although it fell short of securing a playoff berth.
Rooney’s departure from D.C. United was announced right after their last game of the regular season, which resulted in a 2-0 loss to New York City FC.
It’s worth noting that Wayne Rooney holds the record as Manchester United’s leading scorer with 253 goals, and earlier this year, he was surpassed by Harry Kane as England’s all-time leading goal scorer.