Former Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, recently made headlines with his claim that he knew after just two games that his Birmingham squad wasn't up to the task. According to him, the team lacked the ability to play the style of football insisted upon by the club hierarchy. This revelation came during a discussion on The Overlap Fan Debate.
Rooney expressed frustration over how his concerns were disregarded by the board. Despite his early warning signs about Birmingham's performance, he was urged to continue with their existing playing style. His fears soon materialized as results took a nosedive leading to a steep decline in performance.
Adding salt to injury, despite promises of reinforcements in January, Rooney found himself sacked on January 2nd instead. This abrupt decision left many questioning whether adequate support was provided for him during his tenure.
Fallout and criticism
The fallout from this managerial stint was significant for Rooney who bore much of the blame for Birmingham's relegation to third tier - a first in 29 years. Fans and media alike pointed fingers at him following this disappointing outcome.
Rooney then moved on to manage Plymouth Argyle but faced similar circumstances when they too were relegated from Championship post his sacking on December 31st. His insistence on playing front-foot football with struggling teams has often been criticized; however, these recent revelations may prompt some reevaluation of these criticisms.
Cheeky jibe at Tom Brady
Interestingly enough, amidst all this controversy and criticism, Rooney managed a cheeky jibe at NFL icon Tom Brady who is partially an owner of Blues (Birmingham). It seems like even amidst professional turmoil; he hasn't lost his sense of humor!
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United legend, said:
"When I joined Birmingham, they brought me in and said this is how we want to play. After two games I said to them the players can't do it. I wanted to adjust and adapt to get results.
"But the message I got was no, keep doing it, and then in January we'll get you in players who can - I got sacked on January 1st."
Post these managerial stints; Rooney has been out of work but continues to make regular appearances on Sky Sports, Amazon Prime, and The Overlap podcast. His name often surfaces in discussions around various EFL vacancies. Whether he will return to management soon remains a question mark. Wayne Rooney's managerial journey at Birmingham and Plymouth Argyle has been fraught with challenges and controversies. However, his recent revelations provide a fresh perspective on these events and may lead to some rethinking about the criticism directed towards him.
