The appointment of Wayne Rooney as John Eustace’s replacement has proven divisive among Birmingham City supporters but the former England captain is confident he can silence his detractors
Wayne Rooney has given his verdict on Birmingham City’s direction of travel and addressed the jeers from supporters at his first home game
Wayne Rooney has remained defiant after his first game as Birmingham City boss ended with boos from the terraces as his team slumped to defeat.
The former Manchester United hero has overseen back-to-back losses in his first two matches at the helm and it is clear that he already has some detractors at St Andrew’s. After the Blues fell to a late 1-0 defeat away at Middlesbrough in his first outing as head coach, they were beaten 2-0 at home to Hull City.
Rooney’s appointment at the Second City outfit has not been without controversy, especially given the popularity of his predecessor John Eustace. The previous incumbent of the hotseat in Brum had overseen a strong start to the season and he left with them sitting sixth in the Championship table.
Showing he had work to do to win over his critics, his latest loss was accompanied by jeers from disgruntled fans in midweek as the heat was turned up on Rooney and the club’s US owners. In one instance, a Birmingham supporter told the new head coach to ‘f*** off back to America’.
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The remark was made as the ex-England captain made his way down the tunnel to a chorus of boos and chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ from the opposition fans. Clearly, Rooney is proving a divisive figure already at St Andrew’s but it appears that the 37-year-old is eager to put things right.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Birmingham’s next fixture against Southampton, he sent a message to naysayers, telling Sky Sports: “Be patient. I get it, I understand. They parted ways with a very popular manager who did a good job in stabilising the club, so I understand a bit of frustration, of course I do.
“But we need to realise where we’re trying to go. Not where we are now, where we’re trying to go. That’s our aim, that’s our ambition and that’s what we’re hoping to achieve.
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Wayne Rooney and his newly-assembled coaching team have struggled so far at Birmingham City
“My first line to the players is that we’re going to try and play in a different way, which might be a bit uncomfortable for some of you. If you’re not comfortable with it, please tell me. What you don’t want to do… Of course you want to change how we want to play, I’m very open and clear on what I’m saying on that.
Rooney admitted that the evidence from the first couple of games under his managements shows that the team is now entering a period of transition. With eventually adopting a more expansive style of play the end goal for the new boss, he did not stop short of asserting that fresh additions may be required in January.
He added: “What I don’t want to do is put someone completely out of their comfort zone, which I probably think the last two games, in terms of building out from the back, we have been. So that’s something for me to adjust. Then obviously throughout January, throughout the summer you start building your squad for what you want.
